Power Play
by Erzsebeth Bathory
Summary: An unusual pair of friends are drawn to the mysterious ruins of the old Santa Carla hotel, where they wander into dangerous territory and are confronted by the blood sucking residents. Paul finds himself instantly drawn to one girl, while Dwayne is doing something he never imagined: falling for an enemy. This story takes place before the 1987 movie. (Paul/OC) (Dwayne/OC)
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** This fanfic was co-written with **LostInSantaCarla3**. We wrote this story on a whim and it became this monster that we wanted to keep working on. It features our original characters, Jenn (AKA Serenity) and Marie from the fanfics _Destination Unknown_ and _Sleight of Hand and Twist of Fate,_ both written by LostInSantaCarla3. This story, which is a separate continuity from the previously mentioned titles, takes place some time before the 1987 movie.

 **Disclaimer:** _The Lost Boys_ is copyright (c) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and all others associated with legal rights.

* * *

"I can only imagine why you insist on moving around out here in that form," Jenn told her companion, Marie, as they walked along the cliff side overlooking the ocean. It was after dark, but the moon was bright and cast aside most shadows, giving the both of them the perfect route forward to wherever they wanted to go.

Jenn held the backs of her arms as she walked. A slight chill had taken over despite the warmth that had held the day earlier in the evening, and she wished she had grabbed a jacket. She figured the giant wolf beside her was probably more than cozy with all that fur covering her usually slender, curvy frame. "How are we going to get drinks back in town with you like that?"

Although Jenn possessed magical properties of her own, she wasn't fully aware of the danger all around them. She figured she could hold her own in a fight, even while looking like a frail, young girl. After all, looks were always deceiving. However, she lacked the sense of smell her friend had, and Marie had warned her about the other supernatural predators in the area, which meant insisting that she kept to her wolf form. "I know this isn't the safest place in the world, but how often do you get a chance to see the wreckage from an old haunt like this hotel? Besides, I've got you and you've got me."

The unusually large canine stayed close to Jenn as she journeyed along the cliffs on all four paws. Her dark gray fur shimmered under the moonlight while her yellow eyes scanned her surroundings, ensuring that they were safe. Or as safe as they could be, considering all the rumors that they were bombarded with upon entering town. Whispers about supernatural elements and death tied together were rampant around here, but it wasn't often heard about in today's modern society in general. Death, yes, but being linked to the supernatural?

Marie made a chuffing noise, as if trying to laugh in her current form. Humans assumed so much yet knew so little. She didn't count Jenn in that category, because her powers were beyond anything ordinary. She truly could handle herself if need be. Yet it was true what her friend said just moments ago, so long as they had each other, they would be okay.

Right?

Before Marie could reflect on what to say about returning to town for drinks or the mention of the old hotel, she stopped walking all together and sniffed the air. The ocean winds continued to blow just the same as always, but another smell briefly crossed her nostrils. It was putrid and dank. It reminded her of…

 _Death,_ Marie thought darkly, and that was when she started to growl.

"What?" Seeing as it was easier to communicate telepathically with Marie while she was in that form, the word "death" hit Jenn hard and fast and she spun around in the darkness as if something were about to creep up on them. Hearing her friend growl didn't make it any less threatening as she opened her ears to the sounds around her. Granted her hearing was fairly normal for a human, but with a lot of practice, it often helped when her eyes couldn't make out every little detail, especially in the dark.

Just over the edge, a few rocks ricocheted off each other as if they had been disturbed and clanked as they fell to the water below. Jenn was a little afraid to look over the side, even though it would have been next to impossible for someone to be hiding down below. There was nothing really to hold onto, except the jagged rocks. It would take superhuman strength to hold on.

Realizing this, she swallowed hard and looked at Marie. "You don't suppose?" she whispered and inched back away from the path closest to that ledge. What kind of beast could or would sneak in like that?

* * *

It was a simple run for beer and cigarettes that night, nothing more. Marko and David had already delivered the humans to the lobby and there they waited: four of them, soft, fleshed out girls eager to dive into some hardcore motorcyclists. The stronger the leather smell, the wetter it made them and Dwayne had already imagined the drool on their faces as they waited for cock. Little did they know their party would end in more than sex. It would be a bloodbath with no survivors except the monsters.

"I want to lick their bones," he confided in Paul as they traversed the rough ground. Dwayne held a twenty-four pack of cold ones in one hand as they moved and he looked up at the moon, thanking his lucky stars for the life he lived.

"We should have got pizza," he laughed, considering after their blood meal none of them would be hungry. He nudged his cohort playfully but then stopped short. The congenial attitude dissipated within the blink of an eye as his brow furrowed and he growled low. There were more than just mortals on the premises.

The stank of werewolf filled his nostrils and he growled louder, dropping the case of beer. "Motherfuckers!"

Taking quick action, he urged Paul to follow and hopped over the ledge, scaling the rocks like Spider-Man until the soft voice of a human was heard just above. From the sound of it, the drifter wasn't talking about anything important, with the exception of entering the Lost Boys' cave. Who was she talking to? The werewolf? A human and a wolf were hanging out together? He could tell that neither of them knew anything about his family residing there, still, with a werewolf one could never take a chance.

 _How odd is that, brother? A girl walking and talking with one of those strays like it's nothing?_

 _Why do they gotta pick tonight of all nights to show up?_ Paul complained, never one to bother hiding his annoyance. From the moment they were forced to drop their party goods, he was able to easily keep up with Dwayne until they got close enough to see the culprits themselves.

Being the youngest, Paul had the least experience with werewolves, but David, Marko, and Dwayne filled him in on how to properly deal with them, with the end result always involving death to their mortal enemies. Sure enough, Paul wasn't going to step down when it came to defending his turf and his family's home.

Upon seeing the girl, however, he felt something odd. She was a total looker, a major eleven on scale of one to ten, but in a different kind of way that separated her from the biker sluts unknowingly waiting for their dooms in the cave. Maybe it was due to the fact that she willingly chose to hang out with a werewolf that made her stand out.

 _We gotta keep her around a lil' longer,_ Paul advocated as he continued to ogle the stunning blonde who, if she took another step back, was going to tumble into the crashing waters of the Pacific Ocean.

 _Better meat than the ones inside?_ Dwayne was half teasing, half serious as he glanced at his brother from their position on the rocks. He could see the change in his brother's facial expression as soon as he noticed the blonde and he swore it went beyond a fast fuck and feed, which never happened. _Maybe we should let her fall, that way you can be the dark hero. I got a feeling though, that wolf at her side isn't going to play nice. They never do._

He hit a few loose rocks with his Converse on purpose, but it had the opposite affect and the girl backed away. She was smart, which was quite a relief considering most of the wanderers were asleep at the brain. _How much are you willing to pay me to battle that beast just so you can have a taste of that blonde?_

Marie heard the rocks and her eyes bled red. She bared her huge teeth at the unseen invaders who were hiding like cowards in the darkness, undoubtedly waiting for them to make the first move. The smell of death, the sly actions and prying eyes leering at them. It only led to one conclusion.

 _Vampires!_ she hissed telepathically. _Jenn, we have to get away from here!_

She cursed herself, wondering why she didn't realize this sooner. Then it dawned to her—the ocean. With the natural formations and the elements, it was the perfect place for vampires to hide. They had the wind and the sea to mask their presence.

 **Vampires?** The word, so foreign and yet familiar at the same time had Jenn questioning her next move. It had been a long time since she'd heard the term. Someone had warned her about them once, a long time ago, said they would only use her for their own gain once they realized she couldn't die. Yet the idea of coming face to face with one or more had never crossed her mind. Lucky for her, paying attention when it came to training had helped her gain control over her powers and the knowledge it took to use them.

She bit her bottom lip as she hurried further away from the ledge toward the path that would take them away from the haunts of the old hotel. Yet at the same time she couldn't help but ponder. "Marie! This would be a great time to test myself. I'm not trying to sound stupid or whatever, but it's the truth. How many do you think there are?"

Nerves started to kick in and her gut clenched as if something or someone was forbidding her to leave the area and she paused for a second and doubled over. Her breath was short and remained steady as she focused and centered her vision. No matter what, evil would not overcome her. She threw a mental blow right back at the intruder and straightened, squaring her shoulders.

 _SHIT!_ Paul made a sharp sound when that force struck him from seemingly out of nowhere. He was pushed back but caught his footing, preventing himself from falling. He leaned forward and his true form, a monster with sharp bones, tightened skin, amber eyes, and rows of fangs were revealed. Despite the swift attack, he found himself drawn even more to the girl, considering she was openly defying him now.

 _I'm likin' this girl more and more, Bro,_ Paul confessed. _I can't stay hiding like this for long. I say let's get 'em!_

 _You're going to owe me for this!_

There was no more reason to hide, their presence had been noted. With swift movement and little effort, the monstrous version of Dwayne appeared from below the ledge. His savage laughter echoed after the girls as he lunged forward, arms gaping at his sides like the Hulk with eyes on fire.

Finally they had found two worthy opponents to tango with. Paul wanted the girl and Dwayne held the record for taking down stray wolves with his bare hands. He got a kick out of the way the young blonde stood, so little and petite, yet the look in her eyes was all fight. As for his challenge... he didn't doubt she held some records of her own.

"This is private property," he snarled. "Anything on it belongs to us. You ladies know what that means?"

Marie was quick to follow the blonde, and even as the dark haired vampire boasted, she took to standing protectively in front of her. She snarled, and her body was tense. She was not afraid to do what she needed to do, even if it cost her life. After all, Jenn saved her from a life of bleak loneliness, a life that would have led to her premature death. Without Jenn, she wouldn't be here, so she vowed to protect her no matter what.

 _There's one more,_ Marie informed Jenn, answering her earlier question about how many vampires there were. If the situation wasn't so dire, she would have tried to cover her nose with her paw. The undead smelled so God awful, it was a wonder how any sane person would want to willingly be close to them. Then again, the poor humans they manipulate wouldn't know any better, they wouldn't even mind the smell, until it was too late.

In reality, Jenn had no idea what vampires were capable of, aside from the obvious murders and drinking blood to survive, but did they take captives as well? Were they rapists?

Not only that but she hated hiding like a child behind Marie. She appreciated the fact that her friend was willing to die for her, but there was no way she could let that literally happen. With a brave facade, she stepped out from behind the massive wolf and folded her arms. "That a threat? You implying that we are your property now? I'm pretty sure those traditions died a long ass'd time ago." Good lord the vampire was huge. It was hard not to quiver in front of him. "We were told this place was vacant. Good cover by the way. Must be so easy getting the tourists in here that way. Lazy bastards."

That was more than a mouthful and a lot more than she intended to say, but her heart was pounding and it was making her head pound. "Don't come any closer! We didn't come looking for trouble and we don't have a death wish. You let us go on our way and you'll never hear from us again. That's a fact and a promise. No reason why..."

She had put her hands up at that point in defense, forming a small spark at the center of her palms, just in case firepower was needed, but as she began to finish her sentence, the second one emerged. At first all she saw was the blonde of his hair and she knew instantly he was the one who had pulled her back. Suddenly her knees felt weak and her tongue tied.

Paul used his speed and the power of flight to get himself right behind the girl. The wind aided him with his move, because without it, the wolf would have caught onto what he was going to do before he could do it. He purposely brushed past the girl, letting her know who she was getting involved with, where he then grabbed her by the armpits from behind, and hoisted her high up into the sky. The wolf jerked around, but it was too late and all it saw was empty space.

"Ha, ha!" he taunted the wolf as he tightened his hold around his captive, letting her feel the iron grip he had over her.

Dwayne's laugh was vicious yet comical as the smart mouthed girl was pulled away by Paul before the wolf had a chance to sense it. "Number one lesson around here: you don't talk back to us!"

He moved as if he was going to leave the wolf alone and then turned back to her. "Now, are you going to fight me in that form or turn back into a submittable lady like you should? Either way, she's not coming back. See, my brother likes her. I think he might just keep her."

He laughed again and waited. There was no sense in attacking just yet, unless the unruly beast before him made the first move.

Marie could only look helplessly from the ground as the vampire spirited away Jenn. Where did she go?! The wind was making it all too difficult for her to sniff out where she could have gone. She couldn't even see either of them!

She turned around as the other vampire openly mocked her. How _dare_ he make assumptions about her! What was his problem? Were all vampires such creeps? But really, what could she do? She couldn't fly after Jenn, and even if she could, she couldn't find any trace of her. It was making her sick to her stomach, knowing she failed so miserably. She also knew she had no realistic chance of winning against a vampire. Humans were weak in general, and unless they harbored powers like Jenn, they couldn't stand up to a werewolf like Marie. But vampires...? Vampires were a different story. After all, there was a reason Mother Nature created them as adversaries for one another.

 _I could try and fight him and hope Jenn uses her powers to escape,_ Marie thought as the red in her eyes vanished. _Or I could shift and pray that they bring Jenn back. So long as I submit, it might make them think they have the winning edge._

After a silent count of three, Marie willed herself to relax, so that her body could morph. Fur disappeared, muscles shifted, and more human-like features took shape. The form of a brunette with dark eyes and broad hips slowly stood up from the ground. She glared at the vampire, refusing to be more vulnerable than she had to be.

Dwayne watched the girl gradually transform back into her human guise, surprised by the fact that she had chosen not to fight, and when he saw her in the flesh, his mouth nearly dropped open. She remained steadfast with a strong jaw and angry, beautiful eyes, but her skin was perfect and smooth under the moonlight. She was one of the most amazing creatures he had ever come across and that shocked him even more. He was thankful he didn't have to kill her, at least, not yet.

In response, he let his own guard down where his face was concerned and showed her his true, once upon a time, human features. "Smart girl," he said, his voice calmer and less rash than before. "Name's Dwayne. Follow me."

"Hey! Put me down!" Jenn ordered as she was forced high up in the sky, throwing fists against the vampire. His hands and arms felt more like iron rods wrapped around her body than flesh and blood. She was stuck. This wasn't a game, it was life or death as far as she was concerned, yet her mind felt muddled and it had to be his fault. He was keeping her from using her powers, or so she thought. "I'm **_NOT_ ** going to die like this!"

For a second she whimpered as she squirmed and ended up falling against one side of his neck. Her lips hit his cool flesh and she inhaled. The vampire smelled of weed and sugar, perhaps from the sweets at the boardwalk. Either way, it wasn't the rotting smell everyone claimed it was, unless this was another kind of mind trick. Regardless, he smelled familiar, but she knew they had never met before. Obviously, otherwise why would she be in this mess, struggling for her life. But was she struggling? She wasn't trying very hard.

"I have a life!" she yelled, right into his ear, before she felt the zap move through her body. It hit him hard and she prepared herself for the hard landing if it worked to get him to let her go.

Paul shrieked from the sudden attack. He wasn't expecting it, as he was far too caught up in his antics. It was like getting electrocuted from within and he momentarily lost the sensation in his arms.

"DAMN IT!" he yelled as Jenn slipped from his grasp and went falling down toward the cliff. He had no plans of scraping the remains of splattered human off Hudson's Bluff. He actually _**wanted** _ to do more with this chick than the usual fuck and feed.

Upon hearing the vampire's unearthly cries, Marie turned away from the one named Dwayne and watched in horror as Jenn was falling. It didn't matter that her friend could use her powers to float or fly, but what if she was caught up in the moment of everything happening? Could she use her powers in such a short amount of time? Marie didn't shift, but instead she sprinted over to where Jenn was about to make impact. Even in her human form, she was faster than the average mortal. Crouching down, she then leapt forward and at an angle, where she was prepared to catch Jenn and cradle her against her chest, so that the landing wouldn't be so rough. So it came to her complete surprise when the blonde vampire suddenly appeared and grabbed Jenn just half a second quicker.

Marie grunted as she was forced to twist her body in mid-air, where she was able to land safely over by the cliff's edge. Ironically it was in the very same spot where Jenn was standing minutes ago right before she was captured. In her crouched position, she watched as the vampire was now standing over by Dwayne with Jenn in his arms.

"You better not be thinking of pulling that kinda stunt again," Paul warned as he now had Jenn so that she was forced to look up at his face. It was a human face that was staring down at her with bright blue eyes and a square jaw covered with stubble. A dagger earring dangled from one of his ear lobes and unruly hair was constantly being pushed around by the wind.

In this position, Paul was able to get a closer look at the girl, and he couldn't help but notice how soft her skin was, how it gave off a healthy glow, and how great she smelled. No cheap perfume junk about her anywhere. Her lips had a sweet, pink gloss about it, and he easily could imagine the things that mouth could do to him.

Turning to Dwayne, Paul brushed aside the growing sexual urges for his new toy and asked, "We gonna take 'em both back or...?"

The idea of getting away had trumped the idea of falling to Jenn's possible death, considering they were still on the cliff, but by the time she had freed herself it was too late. Yet in a whirlwind of chaos, she felt hands catch her. At first, from the corner of her eye, she saw Marie and let her eyes close. They would get away from this. Yet as the dust settled and she realized she was safe, she also realized she was in the same steel hands as before.

For the first time, she was able to get a real good look at the vampire. Blinking slowly, she took in what he said, and found herself mesmerized by the light blue of his eyes, like the color of the sky on a sunny day. His lazy scruff and wild mane, along with his metal attire made him look like one of those rock stars from an eighties band, and oh how she had a soft spot for those guys.

She swallowed hard, her lips parted, and she found herself speechless. How could this gorgeous guy be a killer?

There was more to it. There had to be, and while he spoke to the other fiend, she decided to test her theory a little. Frowning, she pushed, with her mind, prodding his, without using her power to send him flying backwards. _Who are you?_

"Color me impressed," Dwayne said as the action played out. "You two have talent. David is going to shit himself when he finds out about this." With purpose, he approached Marie and wrapped his arm around her shoulders to lead her on. "Don't look so glum ladies, if we wanted to kill you, we would have already. Come on. I didn't catch your name."

He regarded Marie with interest as they headed towards the old, awkward stairs. "We had plans tonight. Good plans. In fact, you might even get to watch. No. I take it back, where are my manners? I wouldn't want to scare you. Not yet anyway. I know, I keep saying that, but I think you'll like it here. Watch your step."

Despite his temper and dominance, Dwayne had never taken it upon himself to pry into the thoughts of another he regarded as an equal, and even though the wolves were enemies of the vampires, he saw promise in this stray and decided it was better to let her open up to him for the time being. The girls were odd enough with the company they kept. "When we get inside, try to show some respect. David isn't fond of your kind and I wouldn't want him to slit your throat on a whim. Paul and I will get you guys settled in a room for awhile and then, after we have our fun, we'll come back to get you and figure out where to go from there."


	2. Chapter 2

Marie opened her eyes and found herself staring up at a rocky ceiling.

"Jenn?" she called out to her friend as she gradually sat up, where she discovered that she was in a cozy and comfortable bed. Candles were lit in various places of the room, causing shadows to dance along the walls. The room itself was sparse, save for an old-fashioned chair and a rug on the floor.

Did she meet the one called David? Dwayne warned her about him before they left the surface. It wasn't something she nor Jenn exactly agreed upon, but they had little choice. It was either go with the blood suckers, or try fighting their way out and praying for a miracle.

Marie couldn't remember much upon entering the cave. The horrid smell of antiquity, dust, and death threatened to choke her, heavily distracting her. It was one of the few times she hated being a werewolf, a creature whose sense of smell was extremely sharp. Admittedly, the way these vampires used the remains of the old hotel that sunk during the 1906 earthquake was impressive. Whatever odd styles and fashion they enjoyed, they incorporated it into décor that suited their natures.

The images of biker girls flashed in her mind, follow by an old wheelchair, some decorative wine bottle…

Marie rubbed her temples, wondering if it was just a weird dream.

Dwayne… She still couldn't believe that the horrid monster who taunted her earlier was the same individual as that gorgeous Native American with piercing brown eyes and a killer smile. Even the way he spoke to her, it was so articulate, like he was wise beyond his years.

"What happened?" were the first words out of Jenn's mouth as she opened her eyes and slowly sat up feeling as if she had had too much to drink, even though she was comfortable and draped in blankets. She ran her hands over her body, especially her neck and arms to make sure there were no marks and found none, however, the heavy sedation was a mystery to her. "They give us something? Last thing I remember is trying to break through that one's mind..." What was his name? Paul? Had he whispered it to her at some point?

"Are we dead?" For a second she began to panic and the room started to spin. What was the use of having great gifts if they couldn't even save you from a dark situation such as the one they were in. She pinched herself several times and finally let out a yelp of pain. It seemed they were both still in the land of the living.

"What do you suppose they want with us?" Her question was full of distress as she looked around the room and tried to come up with a plan for escape. At least the candles lit throughout the room provided them with plenty of light, and a bit of comfort. "I can't think. I feel like he has a hold of my brain."

Marie sighed in relief as she saw that Jenn was in a bed right next to hers. It didn't appear as if the vampires laid their claws on her. Even then, she had good reason to panic. Knowing her for as long as Marie had, she was probably questioning what she could do with her powers in order to get them out.

As if the wolf was feeling any better about the situation. She was supposed to protect Jenn from getting into messes like this. Being tricked into entering a vampire's territory didn't make her feel any better, either.

"They probably want to keep you around," the brunette commented in a low voice as she ran her fingers through her hair. It was tangled from the wild winds outside. She almost wished for a brush, but if there was any wish she could have granted right now, it would to have herself and Jenn taken out of here. "Humans are of more use to vampires than werewolves."

She fell quiet instantly as she heard footsteps approaching from the outside. Was it Dwayne and Paul? Or was it going to be David? She grew nervous and she swallowed loudly.

"Rise and shine ladies," Dwayne entered the room without a knock or signal. He waltzed right in like the owner of the place and started checking a few candles before he faced the two girls. "It's time to meet the maker. Get up."

Jenn pulled her covers in closer and scowled. "What did you give us?" she demanded, refusing to move. She wasn't sure what he meant by "meet the maker," but usually when someone that term it meant death. She could feel her body shaking and knew it was only a matter of time before the sparks started to fly as if she had lost control of her powers. However, it was possible that if it did happen, it would assist them in getting out of there, as long as HE didn't come into the room and take control of her mind again.

"No questions." Dwayne smiled and wiped his chin, proud to show off the leftover blood stains from his last meal, which was still strewn out in pieces out in the lobby where they were headed. "Do as you're told and we'll all get along."

"And I'd think twice before talking into any of our heads," Paul suggested as he followed Dwayne from behind. Like his brother, there was no shame in showing off the remains of his meal as it was stained on his mesh shirt and the front of his pants.

After taking a stance behind him, Paul offered Jenn a knowing look. He still remembered how she easily dipped into his mind, somehow getting past his natural telepathic defenses which had been considered quite strong. That just gave him another reason to be intrigued by her.

"We might take it as an attack, and we kinda want to you last a lil' bit longer, y'know?" He sounded friendly enough, but the cocky look on his face indicated there was some deception behind his words, or that he was holding back with what he revealed.

"An attack?" There was contempt in Jenn's voice. She couldn't believe he was actually saying this when they were the ones being held captive. "Pretty sure you were the ones who attacked us first there, bucko!"

Now her anger was starting to flare, especially since her dip into his mind had been innocent, but obviously her previous thoughts about him were wrong, considering the way he was acting.

"Don't worry, it's not a place I'd consider delving into again anyway," she lied, glancing at a nearby candle. She had half a notion to throw it at him with the flame raging, but didn't. A small twinge of concern stopped her and it wasn't concern for herself or Marie, but she couldn't pinpoint the reason at that given moment.

"I'm not going to stay here against my will, and I'm not going to have sex with any of you against my will either, or let you drink my blood." She shoved the covers off and stood up, looking for some kind of weapon she could grab while they walked out into the other part of the cave, even though she knew it wouldn't do much good.

Marie also stood up and without turning her back to the vampires, she maneuvered her way over to Jenn's side. Jenn's boldness gave her a boost in her own confidence and renewed hope in that they would escape this place.

Her eyes shifted between Dwayne and Paul as she folded her arms across her chest, standing with her feet apart as if silently daring either of them to object to anything her friend had to say.

"This may be your home," Marie stated while maintaining a level temper, "but unless you want to unleash my companion's wrath, I would not test her if I were either of you. She's human, yeah, but her abilities are far beyond anything any mortal or vampire can comprehend."

"Is that a threat?" Dwayne had a way of adjusting his posture that made him look a lot more threatening than he intended, and in that moment he stood tall, letting his eyes bleed over, even though his voice remained collected. "You're in no position to tell us how this is going down, girl. Get over here!"

He growled and pointed to the spot on the floor in front of him, glancing sideways at Paul for half a second. He'd never had to rape a woman before and the idea was distasteful, but then was seduction of the mind considered rape in the end?

"David wants to meet you formally. Both of you, and trust me, you don't want to make him wait."

Paul snickered as he stuck his hands into his jacket pocket. He took in how defiant and headstrong Blondie was. If what the wolf said about her was true, David would have to want to keep her around and see what she was truly capable of.

He couldn't help but lift a brow over what Dwayne thought. Sexual persuasion, eh? Not that he'd be opposed to doing something like that. No way would it be considered rape. All it was going to be was a more "friendly" way of convincing someone to doing something in their favor without the necessary force. That was how he saw it, anyway.

"We gonna do this the easy way or the more 'fun' way?" Paul suggested and it was followed with a smirk.

Jenn's eyes squinted as she sized Paul up. He triggered her in just the right way and this time, she did pick up a nearby candle. She blew on it using her telekinesis to send it, along with a large flame, flying across the room straight at them. It hit the cave wall and shattered, setting the rug on fire. When the blaze started to spread, she grabbed Marie's arm and tugged. "Come on!"

Unsure of exactly how far they could get, she continued to use her force by waving her arm to create a space between the fire, the vampires, and the door large enough for them to escape through.

"You wanted the fun way," she smarted as they darted past. Too bad there wasn't an actual door she could slam and lock shut. It seemed such a waste, trying to destroy a guy as hot as the blonde was, but once they reached the hallway, she realized there was no light, just the pitch black of tunnels all around them.

"Well shit! Can you see?" She turned around and ran smack dab into something hard. Figuring it was a wall, she moved in the opposite direction only to find it there as well.

 ** _"Where you think you're going?"_** The voice was creepy, almost teasing.

"Marie!" Jenn cried before the solid creature grabbed her and carried her away.

 _ **"Don't go anywhere, I'll be back for you too!"**_

 _"JENN!"_ Marie screamed, but she was grabbed from behind. Before she could even think about shifting, she was knocked out cold.

The next time she regained consciousness, she was surrounded in absolute darkness.

"Jenn?" she whispered, as she tried in vain to reach out and touch something other than the cold, cave floor. She sniffed the air, but all she could smell was the ocean and rocks. It was cold and damp, and she couldn't see anything.

She called out to friend, but her voice only echoed, bouncing further and further away until it fell into utter silence.

"Where am I?" she wondered fearfully.

A twinge of pain struck beneath her temple, and she squeezed her eyes shut. She placed her fingers over the dull ache and forced herself to calm down.

The air shifted around her and she heard what sounded like flames crackling in the distance. The pain magically ebbed away into nothingness, and Marie fluttered her eyelids. She found herself in the lobby of the cave, with all the old, peculiar, and ghoulish décor surrounding her. The smell of spilled blood lingered in the otherwise cold, cave air.

 _What WAS that?_ Marie wondered as she stood up and looked around the placed in confusion.

"It was me."

Marko was standing next to David, who was sitting in his throne, and he wore a cocky grin and he waved at Marie, curling each finger into his palm as he did. His face in that moment was the epitome of crazy and the blood that stained both of his cheeks and most of his chest made it worse.

"Don't get me wrong, I like a good game, but trying to burn my brothers up after they gave you two nice beds and a good room... that doesn't fly with me. Had to get you out here fast to put out the flames." He shook his head and clucked at them in a scolding manner.

"All right, Marko, that's enough," David said, turning his attention away as if he were suddenly bored with the situation.

Things were silent for a few moments until Dwayne and Paul finally came out from the back clapping their clothes free of ash and smoke.

"Now that we're all here," David continued, rising from his seat, "I'd like to welcome you to our home. It's not often I do that, especially to one of your kind," he turned a sharp eye towards Marie, "but from what I hear, you girls are special. Problem is, you're also being a pain in my ass!"

His voice didn't rise in sound as much as it did in anger, and even then he kept it even keel. "The boys were trying to be nice. I should slit your throat right now and be done with it."

"NO!" Dwayne's deep voice cut through the rest of the silence outside of David's. He placed a soft hand on his comrade's shoulder, even though he still looked a little disheveled from the fire. "I want her," he said softly, moving towards the girl with a frown on his face. He looked right into her eyes and never wavered from them.

"Well this is different," David admitted right away, raising his brows with peaked curiosity, "considering how many of them you've killed in the past. You would consider sleeping with _that?"_

"You said it yourself. She's different. We want to know why, don't we?"

David took a long, unneeded breath as he considered this. "You're right. That was rude. Marie, forgive me. This is a new custom for me. But Dwayne and Paul told me that you two seem to be a pair, and that is unusual. As for you princess," he turned to Jenn, who had been caught and was tied down to a chair nearby, "you're going to apologize for what you did. A little blood donation should suffice, don't you think, Paul?"

Paul, who'd been standing there the whole time trying to keep quiet while David greeted the girls, rubbed his hands together and laughed.

"Hell yeah!" he agreed before turning his intense gaze onto Jenn. He couldn't deny that he enjoyed the spontaneity and the passion she contained. He wanted to see what else she was capable of, but not in a way that would piss her off. He actually wanted to hear the sounds she made when she was writhing beneath him as he did all sorts of things to her. He could only hope that David would be generous enough to let him get that far with her.

Then with an energetic bounce, he told Jenn, "David's a great guy, so you gotta appreciate that he's letting you gals make it this far. Don't worry, we're all gonna get along just fine!"

Marie grimaced but said nothing. Despite the fact that Dwayne saved her and wanted her for himself, her thoughts were focused on Jenn. If anything, she was the most worried about her and what these vampires were going to do for her. In the past, she heard all sorts of horrible stories about vampires using mortals for slavery: whether it be for blood, sex, or both. She knew that without Jenn, these vampires would just outright kill her for just being a werewolf. The last thing she wanted was her friend to undergo any kind of prolonged suffering, so the mention of a "blood donation" terrified her to the core.

"You guys are psychopaths!" Jenn practically spit the words out in disgust, despite what her body was feeling. There was some kind of bizarre, seducing undertone making her feel a forbidden desire and it was hard to ignore, but there was no way in hell she was going to stick around and let them suck on her. "I hardly see how you're such a 'great guy' by keeping us here against our will. You really expect us to praise you for that? For keeping us alive just because you want toys? Fuck you!"

David swiped a hand over his mouth, contemplating. "Quite the spitfire. I can see why you like her, Paul. But you know, if Max gets wind of this, he's going to want to meet them. Depending on her abilities, he might even want them for himself. Let's test it a little. Paul, you take her blood first, Dwayne after. Marko, these gals must be hungry by now. How 'bout you run and grab some chow? You ladies have any preferences?"

"You can't!" Marie blurted as she jumped to her feet but forced herself not to run over to Jenn. While she wanted to grab her, shift into her beast form, and make a break for it, she knew she had no real chance of getting out alive. Worse, Jenn would get hurt because of her, and that was a guilt she couldn't deal with.

To David, she shouted, "I don't know who this Max person is, but you're really going to drink the blood of a person who set two of your buddies on fire?! Are you suicidal or something?!"

In reality, she had no idea what Jenn's blood was capable of, nor did she care. This was her best friend, and she would be damned if any of those fanged freaks harmed a single hair on her!

Emotion was one of the key elements of power for a werewolf, and anger often triggered a transformation. Females had better control over their male counterparts; they also didn't need the aid of the moon to shift, but Marie was fearful and afraid for Jenn.

As the wild blonde Jenn now knew as Paul inched closer, food was the last thing on her mind, considering the nerves in her stomach were doing jumping jacks. Her nails dug into the arms of the chair she was seated in and she tried not to look directly into his eyes, but couldn't help it. Oceans of blue they were, deep enough to carry her soul away and while her mind fought against the idea of him shoving his fangs into one of her veins, her body seemed all for it. She looked down and noticed the bulge of one vein just under her skin as if it were calling to him. That alone made her curious about what exactly would happen should they drink from her. She hadn't given away her secret yet. Perhaps her body knew what it was doing, and maybe just maybe an elixir like hers would mean death to these vampires.

"Go. To. Hell," she said, even though her voice cracked. She squinted and shoved her chin into her chest to look away. Paul practically dripped sex appeal and it was digging into her veins faster than his teeth.

 _I'll be okay,_ she telepathically told Marie. Dwayne was over by her friend now, forcing her back down by placing his hands on her shoulders. _We'll get out of here, one way or the other._

"I dunno, boss," Marko smirked, eager to watch the action. He rubbed his gloved hands together. "I think she's coming around. Maybe I'll just pick something. I don't think she realizes just how hungry she's gonna be later on, but you gotta let me watch this!"

David shook his head. "Fine, Marko, watch. You boys are going to have to figure out a way to keep your new pets contained until we all learn to get along."

Paul laughed as his human features vanished, only to be replaced by the monster Jenn saw the first time they met. His eyes took on a predatory glow as he loomed over her, knowing she couldn't escape. A deep growl rumbled from his throat, as he sensed how turned on she was by being so close to him. Vampires had a natural allure to them, enabling them to draw their desired victims closer to them. Unlike the werewolves who were repulsed by their natural smell, humans were too captivated by the supernatural attraction to know anything was wrong. Powers aside, the girl, Jenn, was going to find out how much "fun" she was going to have with this Lost Boy.

Paul's legs stood on each side of Jenn's as he towered over her smaller, seated form. With one hand, he held the top rail of the chair so that Jenn was being tilted back. Even though he noticed a nice vein in one of her arms earlier, he just had to go for the neck. He leaned over and the tip of his nose touched the surface of her flesh, causing the small hairs there to rise. That slender, pale neck of hers was so sexy, and up close, she smelled delicious.

In the background, he heard the wolf girl scream "NO!" but Paul only cackled coldly in response, before he sunk his fangs deep into Jenn's throat.

The moment Jenn felt the sharp, needle like sting of Paul's bite, her body tensed and her breathing became uncontrollable. She couldn't manage to open her mouth, yet a tiny fraction of a whimper vibrated from her lips as her body shrunk into the chair as far as it could go.

The pull of her blood into his mouth made her head feel fuzzy and yet at the same time there were many, many pictures floating around in her field of vision of him and what he thought of her in the short amount of time they'd been kept prisoners. They'd been telling the truth, all of them. There was no plan to kill and yet the monster weighing her down, drinking her blood had some kind of notion about spending time with her. Well it was more than that, there was sex involved, but no death. Did he know now that he couldn't kill her, even if he wanted to? Had her secrets been laid out to him like his had been laid out to her in this small act of connecting. She wondered if he had this type of connection with every victim he took. In fact the idea fascinated her, be it morbid, or perhaps the condition of learning to love your kidnapper was setting in.

Regardless, her need to fight back dissipated and she let her hands settle in her lap. A floating sensation was taking over and she wondered if maybe he was taking a little too much.

 _I can't die._ The words floated into his mind, even if he had warned her not to do such a thing again. She couldn't help it. In truth, she wanted to get to know him more now.

In the background, Dwayne stood behind Marie, who was now seated again, and he draped his arms down over her shoulders to keep her there while whispering in her ear. "Calm down, girl. It's not as bad as it looks, and I guarantee she's going to like it. Paul has a way with women, but you know, I've never seen him as into one as he is into her."

He kept talking as if they were having their own private conversation in a room with no one else around. "I have to admit, I've never been as curious about a woman as I am about you. I didn't catch your name."

He sniffed up her neck, letting the tip of his nose hit her earlobe. She smelled sweet, unlike all the other mangy wolves he'd wiped clean off the earth.

 _Calm down?_ Marie thought anxiously as she watched her closest friend being drained of blood by that disgusting freak. _How am I supposed to calm down over something like this?!_

Even the slightest attempt at moving was countered by Dwayne. While she could out wrestle a mortal male, Dwayne was no mortal. She could only assume he was as powerful as he looked, and she wasn't ready to test that theory. Her emotions were trapped in a whirlwind of crazed confusion, and her heart beat madly in her chest over the way Dwayne was touching her, yet somehow, she maintained some sense of overall self-control...

Other than her face. Her stupid, dumb face was too easy to read, and the look of horror and shock was there for everyone to see.

All she could do, without causing any danger for Jenn or for herself, was finally answer the question she somehow kept dodging from Dwayne.

"... My name is Marie..."

"Marie," Dwayne murmured, looking down toward her chest. He moved his fingers up and massaged her shoulders before coming almost cheek to cheek with her. "We're not going to kill her, Marie." He said her name again softly, on purpose and smiled, even though she couldn't see it. "What is her name?"

He waited for her answer but not very long. "I have a feeling I'll be getting it from her real soon. It's my turn and from the looks of it, her blood is some of the best we've had in awhile. I'll be back, Marie. Wait for me?"

He got up and walked away, looking back at her over his shoulder with soulful eyes as if it would change the fact that he was all monster. In that moment anyone who didn't know any better would have been easy to fool.


	3. Chapter 3

When Jenn awoke, she was surrounded in fur that kept her warm and protected from the dangers all around in the mysterious cave they'd found themselves in. Realizing it was Marie wrapped around her, it took her a minute to remember what hazards lay in wait. A good amount of her blood had been taken and even though her body had regenerated most of it already, the lack of food in her system made her feel a bit sluggish and overworked.

She inched out from underneath one of the giant paws and looked around the room as her stomach made a ravenous noise. Hunger kicked in as if she hadn't eaten in days and she imagined the smell of a giant cheeseburger and fries wafting throughout the large cavern. The odorous image was good enough to taste and it made her move uncomfortably as the hunger pangs shot through her abdomen.

There was no way she could be imagining something like this as strong as it was coming through. Lucky for her it was no illusion, and to her surprise, as she looked to the left, she found a tray sitting beside the bed. Sitting on top of it was a packaged burger and fries, and on the package was a smiley face and a scribbled 'Eat Me!' It was accompanied by a bottle of water, a bottle of orange juice, and a can of cherry soda, as if the one who left it couldn't decide which she would prefer, so he had picked all three.

She had to admit the notion was pretty damn cute and a small smile slipped across her lips despite their predicament.

On the other side of the bed was another plate containing what looked like a steak and potato, and Jenn nudged Marie's sleeping form. "Marie... wake up."

She knew her friend was worried sick about her after the vampires had helped themselves to her blood, but she couldn't hold out any longer and dove for the food, unwrapping the burger as fast as her fingers would allow in order to claim a bite.

The large creature stirred from her sleep and awoke to see Jenn hunched over. Right away she stood on all fours and searched for any sign of the vampires. The memories of them savagely drinking the life out of Jenn had been scarred in her brain. It was any wonder how she didn't go completely berserk. It was also any wonder how Jenn was still alive. She should have died, and yet there she was, consuming what appeared to be a burger with fries. She didn't look or act like a ghoul—humans who were unfortunate enough to be turned into vampire slaves but left with half of their sanity.

Marie inched her way over to the other plate with the steak and potato. She took a considerable amount of time sniffing the food, trying to catch any hint of poison. Going by how those vampires acted earlier, along with what a couple of them told her earlier, if they wanted her dead, they would have already killed her. Underhanded tactics like poisoning didn't fit their ways, or so she imagined.

 _Just one steak?_ Marie complained. She sat down and proceeded to tear into the meat. Werewolves had high metabolisms and could eat three times their own size, but so much time had passed since she and Jenn last shared a meal, so she was simply grateful for what was given to her.

Even as her canines easily slashed and tore through the meat, allowing her to savor the rich taste, she couldn't help but once again marvel over Jenn living through her ordeal. By the time the vampires had finished with her, she looked like a corpse, white as a sheet. Marie was nearly inconsolable, yet hours later, there was Jenn, up and about like nothing had happened. Did it have something to do with her powers?

 _Beggars can't be choosers?_ Jenn stopped eating and turned to look at Marie. The wolf had her back to her, but with their mental communication open, it wasn't hard to talk, even with a mouthful of food. She was referring to Marie's thoughts on the single steak and then asked if she wanted some of her burger before reaching for the soda. Her body was craving sugar and it was no doubt from the loss of blood. _Pretty sure I can't die... unless you cut my head off, but they don't need to know that. I should have told you before now. I'm sorry. I just didn't think we'd be locked inside a bat cave._

Her last words were playful, even if there was a deep pocket of dread in the pit of her stomach that couldn't be filled by the food in front of her. Unless she could really focus and stop going back and forth about the blonde named Paul, there would be no escape and who knows what their future would hold if that were the case. _Actually, I'm pretty sure I told him my name. Paul. I think I might have told him a lot of things, but not by choice. I don't know. I'm afraid, but at the same time, I almost feel like..._

She stopped there because admitting that the situation felt destined seemed quite silly. Too bad there wasn't any alcohol in the drinks as well, since the idea of being intoxicated and oblivious sounded much better than facing the dark reality.

The steak was already gone and the potato was halfway finished as Marie listened to Jenn's explanation. The wolf knew her friend harbored certain abilities; from the sound of things, she had to be some kind of immortal creature. She didn't blame her for not telling her everything. Not everyone revealed every little secret about them. Marie had her own private affairs she had yet to reveal to Jenn, but none of them had anything to do with their current situation.

 _Eat up,_ Marie encouraged, gently refusing the offer of Jenn's food. _After the amount of blood you lost, you need it more than I do._

Closing her eyes, Marie relaxed her mind and it allowed her to shift into her human form. She was sitting on the edge of the bed with her feet resting on the floor. No carpet in this room, just a cold slab of cave flooring.

"Are you sure you don't know Paul?" Marie asked as she sat back on her hands and looking over at Jenn. "The vibes I'm getting from you, it's like you know him somehow. Maybe you saw him somewhere a long time ago?"

As much as she wanted to share her food, Jenn was glad she didn't have to, because her hunger was even bigger than her generosity and she took another huge bite. Juices ran down her chin and she scoffed, hiding it behind her hand as she looked at Marie and shook her head no. She finished the bite and wiped her mouth. "I don't think so. Less it was somewhere outside Santa Carla. Even then, I feel like I would remember a face like his."

A smile appeared bigger than life itself. "Okay I know I'm being stupid. I mean look at this!" Her arms went out wide and spanned the room. "We're fucking stuck in here against our will and I'm having oogly feelings. What kind of sick freak am I?"

She paused and set the food down fast as if she would get in trouble for having it, when noises came from outside the room. Her facial expression turned deathly serious and she looked back at Marie. What would come next? Grasping the covers, she inched closer to her friend as fast as she could and huddled there.

Paul rounded the corner with Marko in tow. The shorter of the two stood aside with a mischievous, all knowing grin on his face. "I dunno, bro," he said. "I'm kinda jealous. Maybe we should take turns."

When he laughed, Jenn cringed, but still managed throw the middle finger up at him.

"Disgusting pigs," Marie uttered through clenched teeth. She sat straight up and her eyes narrowed as Jenn edged closer to her.

Paul couldn't help but be mildly amused by Jenn's one finger salute and Marie calling him and Marko pigs.

"Hey now, we had no idea your buddy here was able to come back to life after we helped ourselves to her blood!" he explained, as if it was going to make the situation any better. "Gotta say, though."

He kissed his fingers before tossing them in the air like some proud Italian chef. "Muy bueno tasting! Nothin' like any of us had ever tasted before."

"And it's not like you're going to get another round of it either!" Marie snapped, not amused by how laid back Paul acted, how he treated Jenn like some inanimate object. "She's not some blood bag for you monsters to use whenever you feel like! She's a person with feelings and a life outside of this hellhole!"

"You sure about that?" Marko moved forward staring daggers at Marie. His eyes shined amber and he growled and lunged forward, laughing shortly after. David would have his hide for it no doubt, but he couldn't resist. "You absolutely, one hundred percent sure about that? Cuz, I didn't get any."

He made a tsk tsk sound. "Not fair. But I guess it might be your lucky day, seeing as my brother has put a claim on her. He can choose to share or not. Kinda hoping he does, since you guys aren't very willing subjects. I mean hell, check it out, they brought you food and this is the thanks they get? You know who went for that food right? ME!"

He took it upon himself to round the bedside nearest Jenn, even though he had no intention of doing anything to her. "What can I say. I'm bored. I need an outlet."

Jenn frowned hard but refused to give Marko the time of day from her seat, even if he was hovering over her. Instead she kept her eyes on Paul, which seemed easy enough to do. She sensed more humanity in him than the others. "I thought you didn't want to kill us?"

Paul tilted his head toward Jenn as he remained standing by the doorway. He was more laid back now compared to earlier, before he had a taste of the girl's rich, mouthwatering blood. He had a hunch about her back when he and Dwayne first spotted her, and after seeing how she came back to life after being drained to the bone, he knew he was onto something.

"I don't," he stated simply, referring to the killing part, "but hey, in the end it's not up to me who decides what lives or what dies. That's for David to do."

Marie didn't flinch at the way the creepy shorter vampire was acting like an unappreciated brat. She wasn't afraid of vampires, but she had the utmost disdain for these ones right now.

 _'Wait for me,' he says,_ Marie thought darkly, recalling the last words Dwayne said to her before he helped himself to Jenn's blood like some horny teenage boy getting some action for the first time. _As if I had any CHOICE in doing anything else! I hate this place so much._

It was disappointing, really, after the way he came off acting somewhat decent, too. Men were just horrible in general. Whether they were werewolves or vampires, they would just all let her down and leave her like they always did.

Instantly the wolf took form once more and she positioned herself between Jenn and Marko, baring her teeth and having her fur bristle in response to the hostility.

"Hey whoa!" Marko put his hands up in surrender and backed away a few steps, still his smile was unwavering. "Dwayne was right, dirty strays never play nice." He was considering a rough tango with the beast just before Dwayne walked in with more than a frown on his face.

"What are you doing?" he barked, his voice deeper and more threatening than usual when it came to talking to his pack mates. "This was supposed to be civil!"

"Aww, come on Dwayne. You really think it matters? They're going to fight you no matter what. You know that. We might as well have a little fun!"

"Fun is over," Dwayne stated, calming down slightly and nodded at Paul. "David's orders. Paul gets some alone time with the girl and I get mine with Marie. Max senses something is up, which means our time is short. Now if you don't mind..."

Marko sobered up real fast and agreed with his older brother, backing down completely as he made for the exit. He bumped into Paul on purpose and grinned yet again. "Let me know how it goes, duder. I'll try to find it in me to be nicer next time."

He chuckled, shaking his head and vanished into the dark makeshift hallway.

A thousand things were running through Jenn's mind as the vampires conversed in front of them as if they weren't even there. Who was this Max and why did he have such an influence on them? Better yet, what was going to happen when he found out the girls were being kept there? It didn't sound good either way. Not only that but she refused separation from Marie.

"I'm not going anywhere without her. We're staying together. I don't care how much blood you drain me of. You can't have her!"

Dwayne sighed impatiently. Usually he had the patience of a saint when it came to dealing with issues such as these, but considering the head vampire was imploring, his nerves were on end. "It's either that or we kill her right here and now. Would you rather have that? Because she's not as important as you are." Of course he was lying through his teeth. He had interest in Marie, but he couldn't let on if he wanted to get them apart. "Choose. Do it now!"

Jenn stood up on the bed and she stood in front of Marie the very same way Marie had stood between her and Marko. She took a long, deep breath and let everything fade away. "I choose her."

The power circulated in the center of her palms and another bright light was seen, yet the very second she caught Paul's eyes, it faded and she had to swallow the lump in her throat. She hated feeling weak, but the anger, for whatever reason had been momentarily extinguished.

"Fine... you win... this time. Just please don't hurt her." Her eyes more than anything looked lost and desperate.

"I'm not going to hurt her," was Dwayne's only response. He jerked his head towards Paul. "Go to him."

She felt tears welling in her eyes as she slowly climbed off the bed and looked back at Marie. "Be safe. Don't worry about me. I'll be back. I promise."

Paul eagerly made his way over to Jenn, where he took her by the wrist and pulled her over to him. To Marie, he cheerfully added, "She'll be juuust fine with yours truly!"

And with that, Paul drooped one of his arms over Jenn's shoulders and proceeded to lead her away like they were ready to see their favorite band perform.

Marie was still in her wolf form as she was forced to watch her dearest friend go to the enemy. Her fur was relaxed and her eyes returned to normal, but her ears were now flattened and her tail was tucked between her legs. She was beyond miserable, other than having that hope for Jenn in that she would be okay while in Paul's possession.

 _It's not the first time I've been told I'm not important,_ she thought sadly as she watched Jenn's form disappear into the darkness. _I'm worthless without her, just like I'm worthless as a stray._

Dwayne took a seat on the bed. He relaxed his form making it very approachable and leaned back a bit. If Marie wanted, she could attack and he would hold back, letting her rip into if she really wanted.

"I lied," he told her. "When I said you were worthless. I had no other choice. It was the only way to get her out of here with him without a fight. I'm not looking for a fight. Are you?"

He paused but remained in his position, looking right at her. "Marie, I'm being honest now. You know as well as I do our kind doesn't get along with your kind. The idea of putting you down is hammered into us from the start, but I see something different in you. It's not just the fact that you're with her, but if you want at me, now is your chance."

Marie wasn't sure if she wanted to waste her breath talking to Dwayne after what just happened. It was bringing on a monstrous headache and she was sure none of these vampires carried any aspirin. Sitting here and being upset wasn't going to do anyone any good, either, so she shifted back into her human form but she continued to keep her distance from the dark haired vampire.

"Doesn't matter what I'm allowed to do to you," she stated as she focused on the empty plates of food just an arm's reach away. "All I want is for me and Jenn to leave this place. I don't need anyone or anything else but her, because she's my best friend."

She blinked back tears that were ready to spill down her face as her chest began to tighten uncomfortably. "Packs are the worst," she said with a hint of steel in her voice. "I'd rather die than be stuck in a group where I'm not allowed to think for myself or do what makes me happy. Jenn rescued me from that life and it's because of her I'm still alive, I'm still sane. If she hadn't come along, I would have killed myself. Us lone wolves have that reputation of being loose cannons, being crazy and uncontrollable, but I'd rather be thought of that way than being trapped in a pack like some mindless, second class Stepford Wife for an alpha or beta male."

"Were you born this way?" Dwayne asked, disregarding what she had said about wanting to leave. He leaned forward and rested an elbow on one knee with his chin on his fist. "Wait. Let me ask you this first. Say things were different and we had met on different terms. Would you still feel the same contempt? You think that pack of wolves would let us walk out of their territory free of charge?"

Marie raised a brow at him and scoffed. "What? Born being able to think for myself? Yeah! I was, and it was frowned upon big time. The others blamed my parents, who both abandoned me after I was born because surprise! They were lone wolves didn't want to stay in a pack. I was an orphan, but the pack took me in because they felt responsibility over me. They taught me everything they thought I should know about pack life, but I just never felt comfortable with conforming, even when I was younger."

She scowled inward, realizing she was feeding this vampire information about herself. Not that she cared if this group of undead decided to go after her pack for whatever reason. She felt no loyalty toward them after the hell she went through prior to Jenn meeting and befriending her-who was she kidding? Jenn rescued her from a life of misery from that group.

Flipping her hair over her shoulder, Marie decided to answer Dwayne's last question about the whole walking out of the territory without consequence.

"The pack I came from? Probably not, but I'm sure there are groups out there who are more benevolent and capable of thinking for themselves."

"I meant born a wolf. I can see you think for yourself and then some just fine." He suppressed his laughter seeing as she was clearly upset. "The same rules apply to this pack. We saw you, brought you in here, couldn't let you leave without making sure you weren't a threat. Paul, on the other hand, he wants Jenn. Doesn't mean it'll last. Sometimes he likes to keep play things for awhile."

He shook his head. Nothing he was saying was going to make Marie feel better, but the hard fact was, it was the truth. "But I know she's got a lot of power, and there are far more worse things out there looking for that than us. How long did you think it would be before something like this happened?"

Marie shrugged. "I didn't think I'd meet someone like Jenn, so I don't know how long something like this would have happened... and if you have to know, yeah, I was born a wolf. Were you expecting some hokey Hollywood story about being me being bitten and cursed into becoming a werewolf?"

She picked up Jenn's empty plate and stacked it on top of hers just for the sake of doing something.

"Those kinds of wolves are out there, the cursed ones, but they usually don't live too long. They don't get the whole werewolf lifestyle, other than going ape-shit crazy when the moon's full."

"No. Not expecting anything." His brows rose and fell in honesty. "I just want to talk. That's all. To get to know you. Is that a crime? I know what you girls must be thinking right now. I heard it earlier from one of you. How can we be these monsters taking what we want and not want that?"

He was referring to the fear of rape that had been hanging in the air. "We might be a lot of things, but forcing sex is not something I find tasteful. I know the others feel the same. Does that contradict our power? I don't know. Don't care. I would just like to get to know you."

His hands folded outwards as if he were laying all the cards out on the table. "Are you still hungry? I can get you something else. I guessed with the steak, don't hold it against me. But animals are animals and when I'm hungry, meat calls to me."

The corner of Marie's lips twitched when food was mentioned. Damn it! That was one of her weaknesses. Being a wolf, she was unsurprisingly going to lean toward meat in general. That steak she had, even though it was a puny one, was good. Possibly even great.

"You have a Renfield who makes the food for you? Or you guys got a kitchen around here?" she asked as she stood up from the bed and was looking down at Dwayne for once.

She dismissed the comments about sex and rape. She assumed it would only apply toward vampire and human interactions. No good ever came from vampires and werewolves getting together, even if it was just for a one time deal. It was just frowned upon in the supernatural world. Some things were just meant to be the way they were, with humans being that "safe" gateway to all sorts of explorations. Humans got together with other humans, or with vampires or werewolves… but vampires and werewolves getting along? Wasn't going to happen.

Dwayne laughed at the Renfield comment and looked up at her standing over him as if he were willing to do whatever she asked. "No. No halflings or slaves around here, just us and the power of the mind."

He pointed to his temple. "Mental communication. Marko owes me. If I asked him to, he'd run out and get you whatever you wanted. Especially for being an asshole earlier. I do have a small wine collection. It's not much, but sometimes it suites."

Finally he stood up, putting them both in close proximity to each other. "What is it you'd like?"

Marie took a step back but didn't create that much space between herself and Dwayne. She was at eye level with his chest and it was the first time she noticed the necklace he wore. It was an attractive piece to be sure, only to compliment an equally attractive…

WHOA.

She was not going to go THERE.

She blinked heavily and turned her back to him, where she went and picked up the empty plates like she was ready to take them to the nearest sink to be washed.

"Steak and aspirin," she requested. "Maybe some red wine but only once the headache goes away. Please?"

Dwayne nodded, even though she had turned from him. "Care to come with me into the lobby? The others are out, but it won't take long for Marko to get back with your request. I assume you like it rare. I also have a room."

He moved to make the beds haphazardly and changed the subject. "It's admirable, what you do for Jenn. What you do for each other. David admires that. I admire that. I was the second he found to bring into this pack, a long time ago. I'm what you'd call a second in command."

Suddenly he stopped. "Marie. Come here."

Chills shot down Marie's spine as soon as she heard those words. They were having such a decent conversation, normal, even. Why did it have to change?

"What?" she responded as she turned to face him, hoping he wasn't going to ask her to do anything that would make her uncomfortable.

"Come here!" he insisted, letting a pillow drop at his feet while he pointed down at it. "Kneel there."

Unlike Paul, it had been awhile since he had entertained anyone and even though he had a few manners left, it wasn't easy to retain a soft, easy request. He waited for her to appease him, even guided her down on her knees so that she was facing away from him before he took a seat behind her. His hands rested gently on her shoulders before his fingers began to knead into her knots. Working his way up, he found each and every little spot that might have been causing her to have a headache.

"I've heard rumors about vampires being loners, and less eager to share their territory with others like us, but we're all brothers here. Paul says, brothers from another mother. There's nothing we wouldn't do for each other. There's nothing we wouldn't do for those who are loyal to us."

Marie started to protest but before she knew it, she was being treated to a gentle massage. She hated being forced into situations against her own will, but this was different. It was a nice difference, and it was gradually welcoming, too. Listening to Dwayne's voice while having the pain go away was comforting.

 _This shouldn't be happening,_ she told herself as she closed her eyes. _He's being nice to me, maybe he IS nice… Is Paul being nice to Jenn? He better be._

She was breathing steadily and she was tempted to lie back against him. Instead, she kept her posture straight and she once again opened her eyes.

"Must be great to have three brothers who are there for you," she said quietly. "That Max you guys mentioned earlier… Is he like a brother to you? Or a dad?"

"He's a father figure... He holds a lot of authority in this town. We have to answer to him." Dwayne's fingers went a little deeper as he said this, troubled by the thoughts of the head vampire. "Trust me, you don't want to meet him."

He left it at that and moved closer to her, bringing his lips down near her ear as he worked on the tension that kept swelling her muscles. "I think you know by now I'm not going to hurt you as long as you do as I ask. But as much as I like to be in control, it's not the kind of relationship I want with anyone. At some point we're all going to have to figure out what to do with you. When the time comes, I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive us for being what we are and doing what we do to protect our family."

He moved her shirt aside and gave her a few soft kisses, reveling in the way her skin nearly burned his lips. "I can tell you right now, Jenn is having a good time with my brother, and your food is almost here."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's notes:** Thank you AngelaAngieAng, MurderIsMyPassTime, and Kate for taking the time to leave comments about our story so far! Thank you to everyone else who has favored and/or followed the story! We're having a lot of fun with this, so we hope you stick around for what is to come!

* * *

Jenn remained calm as she walked, tucked under the arm of the wildcard vampire who had taken a shining to her. It wasn't a comfortable position; in fact it felt very awkward. His motions were animated as if he danced to music even when there was none playing and he was overly upbeat. She could tell he smoked a lot from the heavy odor of pot clinging to his clothes, but at the same time there was a hint of something else: musky, earthy, and slightly sweet. It made the hairs on her arms rise as a tingle shimmied down her spine. The combination of smells and touch invaded her senses, causing her to feel giddy as well. It was like his emotions, if that was what you could call them, influenced hers.

"Where are we going?" she asked, keeping her line of sight straight ahead, even in the darkness. The fear of forced sex still weighed heavy on her.

"Gonna check out a room I like to hang out in," Paul replied as he continued with his confident swagger. The chains on his belt jingled with each step he took and in the distance, bats screeched and flapped their wings.

Without warning, Paul curled his arm tighter and drew Jenn right up against his chest. With a low laugh, he said, "Almost had you smack your head there against a low hanging spike. That woulda rung your bell real good!"

He laughed louder before steering them into the proper direction. A faint light was seen just ahead and they moved closer and closer, until they arrived at another chamber. Inside was a room, one which had relics of early 20th century mixed with 80s rock and roll style. Posers of MTV bands were on full display on the walls alongside gorgeously crafted furniture suited for wealthy visitors of a once glamorous hotel. An end table had a bong and next to it a sealed plastic storage bag containing weed. Piles of clothes were scattered about the floor and a couple of mesh shirts were even seen hanging over a decorative chair.

Jenn had ducked into him even after the fact, blind in the darkness with nothing to rely on but his word until light brushed over them. Relief washed over her, yet she found her hand resting on his chest for support. It didn't stop her from pausing in the moment to check the room out. Paul had great taste in music, and it showed in his collection of artists hung up on the battered walls of what was once a grand hotel. Ironically, this is exactly what she and Marie had set out to see, without the added drama. However, their idea of relics had been a bit older, like the furniture Paul had claimed as his own.

"You guys have your own rooms? Does that mean you live here?" She looked up at him with wide, curious eyes and watched the dagger in his ear sway back and forth before she pushed herself away from him. With the intent of acting preoccupied by gazing at his furnishings, she hoped he wouldn't glom on to her again until she was prepared. "I do love your style... of music."

"We have rooms, yeah, but it's not like we sleep in them," Paul replied as he watched her admire her surroundings. As eager as he was to touch her again, he knew he had to play it cool. He wasn't going to treat her like a future meals-on-wheels. There was much more to her, so much more that he actually wanted to learn about. What he drank from her was only a peek into a potential wildchild that could hang with the likes of him and his brothers. It pissed him off that Max was already onto her but then again, he WAS the head vampire. There was only so much that could be kept from him.

He made his way over to the end table, where he picked up the bag and unzipped it so he could sniff the contents. Satisfied with what he smelled, he closed it up and set it down.

"Rock and roll is forever!" Paul exclaimed in response to Jenn's comment about his music. "Can't live without it! David, Marko, and Dwayne totally agree with me, and that's why we get along so great! ... Okay, it's just ONE of the reasons why we're so cool with each other."

"If you don't sleep in your room, where do you sleep?" Her expression was still distant as she turned to watch him play with his toys. "I noticed a radio in the lobby..."

Her eyes brightened at the thought of listening to some rock, but then she cleared her throat and took a seat in one of the chairs, careful to move his mesh shirts out of the way. "Do I know you from somewhere? Maybe like a concert or something? I feel like we've met before." She shrugged and looked down at nothing in particular. "Maybe you were stalking me?"

Again, ten thousand questions ran through her head, but in that moment, she didn't give two shits about the other vampires or how well they all got along. What she wanted to know was why she had been targeted by the potential rock star in the room.

Paul snickered as he turned to face Jenn, revealing a look of amusement on his face.

"If anything, I got chicks stalking ME," he bragged before shrugging his jacket off and tossing it onto the nearby chair. Seconds later, he was seen sliding into said chair, where he kicked his feet back and threw his hands behind his head, still keeping his focus on his "guest" who was now seated across from him… rather far away, but at least she wasn't making a run for the exit.

"I got better things to do than follow around one girl," he said cockily. "But I gotta admit, you do seem familiar to me, and that's not something I tell any yahoo we bring into the cave. This isn't a pick up line, either. It's been bugging me, I'll tell you that much, and it's good to know I'm not crazy if you're thinking the same thing about me."

She swallowed again, louder than she had wanted as he slipped from his jacket and she got a good look at his body, almost disappointed when he took a seat further away. It was stupid how she didn't want him close, yet she didn't want him far away either. In that moment something clicked.

"I get it. You're one of those." A slight smart assed look was shot over to him. "Different flavor every night kind of vampire, and most likely, sex on sex on sex. Am I right? But you're not using any pick-up lines on me now, so either you're just interested in my blood because of its power or, you're hoping to score and use me whenever you feel the mood strike, is that right?" Her sass was overwhelming and she closed her eyes.

"Thank you for the food. I really liked the smiley face..." _Now could we please move into something more comfortable?_ Her thoughts bounced around the idea of smoking, or perhaps he had a bottle of alcohol stashed in there somewhere.

Paul made a finger gun gesture and aimed it at Jenn. He pulled the trigger and smiled.

"I'm that easy to read, huh?" he teased. Not like he had anything to hide, nor was he ashamed of his habits. He got bored easily and he couldn't help if he needed something new every time he stepped out into the night. Jenn was unlike the other girls, and she hit the nail on the coffin when she talked about her blood. Her blood was completely out of this world, and Dwayne could attest to that. Her bravery and fiery spirit, along with the way she was ready to do whatever it took to protect the wolf girl, was not like anything Paul saw before. He couldn't even remember the last time any of the girls he or the others picked up would defend their gal pals. Nope, all of them who came with buddies always stabbed them in the back just so they could get closer to the biker bang, to be the "chosen ones" who rode off with them into the night—never to be seen again.

Paul leaned over to the bed, which was right next to him, and slipped his hand underneath the pillow. He pulled out a whisky flask and shouted, "Heads up!" before tossing it to her.

"Help with the nerves," he promised her and it was followed with a wink. "I'd offer you weed but… that'll be for later if things keep being good between us. You're doing alright, aren't you? I mean, I did personally request the burger and fries for you. The note was my personal touch."

Moving uneasily in another chair she sat in, Jenn's eyes drew a circle around Paul. She was ashamed to admit there had been a few others like him in her life as potential boyfriends who had left her high and dry to play the field. It didn't hurt her feelings looking back on it, on the contrary, it had helped her wise up. "Not just you. I know the type in general."

She shrugged. "You're fun to play with but when it comes to girls like me... we're only fun for you for so long and by then we're attached. Doesn't bode well."

She leaned back further in the chair and set her sights on one of the hot blondes in a Guns N' Roses poster. This one in particular reminded her a lot of the vampire sitting in front of her. Admittedly, she was still a sucker for those wild boys.

A "heads up" jerked her from the reverie and her reflexes helped her to catch the bottle before it hit her in the head. "Thank you!"

The top was twisted off and she tipped it back, taking a few good glugs before stopping to consider his question.

"Yes, I am... well, I'm worried about Marie. How do I know they won't kill her while I'm back here getting boozed up with you? Oh shit! You didn't like, roofie this did you?" Panic made her skin turn white.

Paul instantly leaned forward and gripped the sides of his chair while shaking his head. It was quickly followed with laughter. "No way!" he managed to say as he eased back in his seat and relaxed once more. "I didn't even think about bringing you back here earlier, so there was no time to doctor that drink up. Relax, you're safe!"

Never mind that he and guys did occasionally trick some humans into drinking out of the wine bottle every now and again. Wasn't that considered spiking? It was all for fun, seeing as how after the morts turn into confused half vampires, it was all about hunting them down and killing them in the end.

"But trust me," he said, turning serious for a moment as he stared intently at her. "They won't kill her. I know it sounded bad a little while ago, but you gotta understand that werewolves and vampires are legit enemies. When I first turned, I was told some kinda story about some ancient war between the two—I wasn't paying much attention, but all I know is that we're not supposed to be buddies. I also know that Marie's not like the other wolves, because she's with you, and YOU are not like other humans because of all sorts of reasons. You two would do anything for each other, wouldn't you? That's actually real cool. Don't see a lotta real friendships that's true and blue. If you wanna know something real, that's how I feel about the others. I'd do anything for them, so seeing how you are with Marie and how she is with you, that's… kick ass!"

"Well in that case," Jenn smiled lazily and tipped the flask back again. Already the sedation that came with the whiskey was spreading to her knees and her head fell back against the chair.

"I don't even know if I can trust everything you say," she admitted openly, "Even though my gut is telling me it's okay and I always trust that instinct. It's not let me down once."

At that point she was staring right back at him. The booze made it easier for her to sense the familiarity behind the blue orbs that made up his amazing eyes. "Marie is like my sister. We found each other when things were bad for both of us. I just wish I had been able to get us out of here."

She actually laughed, already under the influence. "Umm, I don't know how to make that seem any better, especially with you being nice to me now. I don't downshift that fast, but thank you for the compliments and the food. It was really good."

She got up and handed the flask back to him as if she were about to leave. Instead, she lay down on her side on the bed in a position to where she could still look at his face. "How long have you guys been like this?"

Their fingertips briefly touched when the flask was returned. It actually made Paul's heart skip a beat, something that never happened with any other girl. It was a special zing that made him want more of her touch. What in the hell was it about her that made him want her? It was going to drive him insane at some point.

"David's the oldest, so he's clocking near a hundred," Paul explained, pushing aside his wild thoughts, as he shifted in his seat so that he could look at her while she was on the bed so close to him. "Dwayne's the second oldest, turned in the 20s, Marko was in the 50s… but me?"

Bouncing a thumb to his chest, he grinned and said, "I was brought in just a few years ago. Not exactly a newbie or anything, but I'm the youngest of the group."

"That makes sense," she admitted, rolling onto her stomach to rest her chin on folded arms. "I mean I could tell you weren't exactly like the others. Can I see the booze again?"

She reached out for it, secretly hoping to get another feel of his fingers. The room had fast become cozy and she was getting rather comfortable thanks to the spirits in his flask. She thought about Marie and hoped she was having something of a good time, while trying to push the horrific thoughts of her being tortured out of her imagination. In that moment, things felt normal. They felt like being on a date with a hot guy back at his place just before they jumped in the sack.

"Maybe I shouldn't drink anymore," she laughed. "You know we were coming here just to see the old stuff in this sunken hotel right? We had no idea this was yours. Can I ask you something else? Do you kill everyone you sleep with? Or meet up with? My life aside..."

Paul graciously held out the flask for Jenn to take, even going as far as scooting his chair closer to the bed.

"This is a good hiding place for us," he stated with a coy smile. "The people we don't hunt are the curious ones like you and Marie. Obviously we had no idea what we were in store for getting you two. As for killing everyone we sleep with? Honest truth?"

There was a slight pause before he answered bluntly. "Yeah. Meet ups, though, that's something else all together."

"Like how?" she asked, sitting up yet again to chug more booze even though she had stated she shouldn't. Feeling careless and slightly dizzy was way better than freaking out about what might come next in the scheme of things from the vampire's point of view. In fact, she didn't even realize that the thought had made her touch the spot on her neck where he had fed from her hours before. "I would like to get some fresh air again at some point. What I'm saying is, I don't want to be your prisoner here, but, I think you're okay."

She shrugged. "For a vampire. I've never really come face to face with one. I suppose I knew you existed considering the werewolves out there in the world, Marie being one of them. You're not like what I expected."

Paul got up from his chair but deliberately took his time doing so, not wanting to frighten Jenn. Instead he slowly walked around the bed, letting his fingers trail along the edge, as he continued his conversation. Patience was never a strong suit for him, but he was willing to try it out every once in a blue moon.

"First time for everything, huh? You probably know by now that not all us vampires are the same, just like you saw how Marie isn't like others of her kind. Lotta people expect to find us wearing black capes and turning into bats and shit like that, and have skin as white as Casper the Ghost. Nah, it's more fun just pretending to be like everyone else, but at the same time giving yourself that extra flair so you don't always blend in, especially when the right moment comes in to reveal your true self."

The color of amber glazed over his eyes before the blue took over once more. Now Paul was on the other side of the bed with one knee propped on the edge. Even though she was sitting up, he was still taller than her in this position, but he couldn't resist eyeing her up and down. He could still taste her delicious blood on his tongue, but he wanted more than just her blood. He wanted to keep hearing her voice, he wanted to touch her.

"I can take you out later, if you want," he offered as he leaned forward and rested one hand just inches away from one of her arms, causing the mattress to dip due to his weight. "I dunno what it is about you, but besides your blood and powers, you're not like any chick I've ever met."

She kept a close eye on him as he got out of his seat, but the move wasn't threatening. Still, she folded her legs under her and placed her hands in her lap, watching him as he rounded the bed, listening to every word he said as best she could now that a heavy buzz had made her feel like she was floating rather than sitting. She didn't even flinch when she saw his eyes turn color briefly. It was hard to fathom someone like him living off of others blood, yet there it was tried and true, and the butterflies in her stomach fluttered the closer he got. It wasn't a bad feeling, but rather an exciting one.

"Really? You'd do that? Even if I tried to get away?" Her tone of voice changed as if she were trying to seduce him by threatening to run. "No promises that I wouldn't, but then, I couldn't leave Marie behind."

She squinted and frowned as his weight made the mattress dip beside her. The blue, evil eye ring on his finger caught her attention as well as the many bracelets he wore around his wrist and she reached to touch the black spikes of one. "You sure about that? I mean, you've only known me for a few hours and I haven't been the greatest company, considering... I mean you did kidnap me."

She smiled as she looked up, catching his eyes and her heart skipped several beats. "That's the only thing I don't know how to get around." It was the truth. After all, her track record with guys like him hadn't been the greatest, even if they were few and far between. Most of them had only wanted a piece of ass, but now here Paul was, holding her against her will, claiming she was wasn't like the others, and yet making her feel things she hadn't felt in a long time. How much more fucked up could it get?

"You won't leave," he stated matter-of-factly as he allowed himself to sit down next to her. "You're too curious about me, you wanna know more about what's going on around here—but it's mostly about me."

In move that only took a split second, Paul slid even closer to Jenn until his lips were just mere inches away from hers. He didn't make a grab for her in case she wanted to pull back, instead, he just allowed himself to enjoy the moment.

"It's pretty fun here," he promised as he once again took in her sweet, intoxicating scent, inhaling it like a drug, one that he wanted more of. "We sleep all day, party all night. Don't you wanna do that with us?"

Face to face, inches apart, the invasion of space made her freeze, but her eyes continued to study every little detail, especially the magnificent color his eyes. They pulled her into their depths forming an instant soul connection... or something of the like that told her at one point in the timeline they had been near each other before.

She shivered and let her lips ghost over his without touching them, the hint of his breath like a whisper as she inhaled taking it all in. "You're that confident... full of yourself..."

But he was right and hardly overbearing. In fact his nature seemed more fun loving and vivacious with an urgency to live life to the fullest by the seat of his pants. It was something she envied and longed for.

"I want to get to know you better before I seal my fate... Paul. I'm still learning about me and what it is that makes me different and why I'm different. But... that doesn't mean I don't want to have a little fun."

The tiny space between them closed as she let out a slow breath and touched his lips to hers. There was no kiss, just a tease as she pulled back even slower and smiled.

A slow smile was starting to form on Paul's face when he abruptly jerked his head away. He was staring out of the room and into the darkness, and he became intense.

"Aw, shit!" he hissed before he stepped off the bed entirely. No way, no fucking way. Why was this happening now?

Without turning to Jenn, he said, "Don't go nowhere unless you wanna get lost in these tunnels."

With that, he hastily made his way out, where he would meet up with David and Dwayne in the lobby.


	5. Chapter 5

Dwayne left Marie to eat in peace when David summoned him back to the lobby. The idea of getting to know the girls a little better by having some one on one time was going beyond the time limit where Paul was concerned, but they didn't need him to chat with just yet, and Dwayne figured it was better. The more time Paul had with the girl, Jenn, the more he could figure out why he had suddenly developed an infatuation for her, although Dwayne suspected it was the normal case of being bored and needing a new play thing. However, he hoped he was wrong, considering he wanted to get a little further with Marie before things went to hell and two more bodies were dumped into the ocean.

"You called, boss?"

David was standing and appeared to be staring at nothing, which told Dwayne he was more than likely having a mental conversation with Max.

Marko, on the other hand, was sitting on the couch. He had removed his gloves and was picking at his teeth looking none too amused.

"You don't like this, do you?" Dwayne asked him, giving David a moment to finish talking with the head vampire.

"I think it's bad news." Marko rolled his eyes as he looked at his older brother. "Just another reason for Max to get on our asses about something. Like he doesn't enough already."

"Yeah, but it's a good idea to have allies. And you know, brother, that these two are different. Powerful. Beautiful..."

"Lots of pretty out there in the world, bro," Marko grinned. "Doesn't mean we gotta keep them."

"I'm sensing a little bitterness in you, Marko," David stated. He was finished with business and had come around, placing a hand on Dwayne's shoulder. "Afraid to lose your brother to something or someone else? That's not going to happen. You know better. Besides, I want them here."

He was direct in that statement, but the integrity died as he filled them in on what Max had to say. "Unfortunately, so does Max. Seems we need to work on what we keep from him with our minds closed, especially Paul. He's an open book and now Max wants to meet the girls. So, how exactly is it going back there, Dwayne?"

"Wait! Hold up!" Paul hollered as he emerged from the tunnels like a bat out of hell. He was anxious over what was being discussed and more importantly, he wanted to make sure he was able to somehow keep what he believed belonged to him. Once he landed in front of David and Dwayne, he asked, "Why does Max have to meet the girls? We've got things under control around here!"

Dwayne was about to respond when Paul cut in. His young temperament as a vampire was shining through as well as a few leftover human traits. "Because Max runs the show," he told him forthright, irritation over that fact clearly showing in his eyes.

"Remember what we talked about, Paul?" David asked, still showing him the utmost of respect as a new fledgling. "Keeping your mind closed to those you don't want coming in? We'll have to work on it. You know Max is connected to us all. Unfortunately, you gave him a way in with your eagerness to get to know that girl back there. We have no choice but to take them."

Marko sighed. "See. What'd I tell ya? Nothin' but trouble." David gave him a look and he eased up fast. "Anything you need me to do?"

"Yeah... play along. Get to know them. I have a feeling they're going to be staying awhile." David paused. "Paul, you know I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you get what you want. That's what we do here for each other. You know that, but I need you to play along as well. Understand?"

Paul grimaced, but the guilt quickly vanished. Alright, he messed up big time. He knew he should have hid his thoughts better, but the excitement was too much for him to contain. Now he was going to get some help from David in controlling his thoughts. So long as he had his brothers' backs, they had his, and he got to keep something for himself, it was going to be all good.

"Right on, David, I understand," he said, even giving him the thumbs up. "No more screwing up on my part!"

"That's what I like to hear. So!" David smacked his hands together and a few of the residing pigeons scattered, some taking to the air, leaving trails of dust and feathers. "Let's put the girls together in one of those old rooms with a door that locks to keep them nice and snug while the daylight hits. They can throw a fit, scream, or sleep. Either way, they won't be sneaking out of here. By the way, I never got an answer. How are things going?"

"I think they'll come around," was all Dwayne said.

"It's going great!" Paul added, offering a more upbeat response. "I mean, it'll be great. I have a good feeling about this whole situation."

* * *

Max wasn't in the best of moods.

He was having company come to his home which was tucked away in a quiet corner of a picturesque neighborhood. With his white picket fences and front garden, nobody suspected of him being anything more than a successful business owner.

Nobody would ever peg him to be a vampire, let alone a head vampire.

Yet there he was, preparing himself to meet these "guests" that would be accompanied by the boys. His wild, rambunctious sons who were excited about these new treasures they acquired just recently. Already he knew they were not the ordinary humans that were hunted after. No, these girls were special, and Max wanted to see them with his own eyes and talk to them.

It was no secret that Max wanted a family, a notion that was not keenly looked upon by other vampires in general. There were the typical covens who hid away in the darkness, or there were the lone vampires who kept away from society overall. Max was different, he always had been, and he longed to have a woman who would provide the role of mother to his boys. If all worked well, she would also be a wife who would remain at his side for all eternity. But first thing was first, and he needed to make sure that these new girls would not lead to the downfall of everything he worked hard for.

* * *

David and his boys arrived with their usual flair, making sure the headlights of their motorcycles shone brightly through the windows of Max's house as they revved their engines, pursuing a constant rebellion against being under the head vampire's foot. They had the girls in tow: Marie on the back of Dwayne's bike and Jenn on the back of Paul's. Once the bikes were quieted, the vampires led them to the house with more than an air of seriousness around them.

Their leader was the first at the door and rapped on it repeatedly, smirking as he did so considering the doorbell worked just fine. What did it matter? Max was waiting for them and had probably been checking his long yet narrow driveway since their last conversation.

Jenn didn't want to be the first human through the door after reading the vampires around her. They didn't want to be there as much as she didn't, but what good would it do to cause a scene and try to make a break for it? At the most, she envisioned it being a pretty dramatic and foolish looking event. Instead, she hid under Paul's arm, practically clinging to him as if he was a savior rather than a killer. Reaching back, she grabbed for Marie's hand in the hopes that they wouldn't be separated again.

Marie had been helped off the bike she rode upon, but as soon as Jenn reached out for her, she stepped closer and gripped her hand. She even gave it a squeeze, a silent reassurance that somehow, things were going to be okay for them.

She scanned the surroundings, noticing how charming and gorgeous this neighborhood was. Another surprise hiding spot for a vampire: first the old sunken hotel in the cliffs, now this—a community that could easily be on the cover of a magazine.

"Relax, it'll be okay," Paul said, trying to help ease the girls' moods which was a heavy contrast to his typical easy-going nature. They were scared, they were nervous, and they had no idea what Max was like. These girls were probably thinking they were going to meet some ancient mummy of a vampire who hadn't left his vault in centuries.

Dwayne stayed behind in silence, ushering Marie from behind with gentle pressure, allowing her to get as close to her friend as she wanted, and Marko was right behind him. As glorious as the neighborhood was in looks, he didn't care for it much. It made him feel like the Swiss Family Robinson, especially after staying a night or two in the house. Everything was too perfect, even the way the shrubs were manicured at a perfect angle. The only thing the place had going for it as far as he was concerned, was that it overlooked the ocean and the boardwalk.

As soon as Paul shouted that he wanted to push the doorbell, Max hurried and opened the door. The last thing he needed was Paul's added "assistance" with making as much noise as possible. He certainly didn't want his neighbors complaining to him about breaking the noise ordinance. Out of all of his boys, Paul was not only the youngest, but also the loudest.

"David," he greeted his oldest before searching past him, where he noticed the two girls in their company. He was actually surprised by their overall appearance. A blonde and a brunette who shared an undoubtedly close relationship, and they were dressed nicely. They didn't seem like the typical sort his boys normally preferred, ones that made him question whether or not they chose prostitution as a career choice. No, these were pleasant girls who were frightened and confused about this ordeal. He already knew they were not normal, but that was why he was intrigued.

"Let's all come inside and talk," he said, gesturing for the girls to follow along as if they had a choice.

Jenn's heart was pounding as she and Paul passed David, who remained in the doorway. Max didn't look anything like she had expected. In fact he seemed decent, like an ordinary, middle aged man living in a pleasant place. The mysteries kept coming as folklore was put to shame by the vampires in Santa Carla. She had to admit it was the perfect guise; four hardcore, sexy young males looking for a good time that no one would suspect around that town with all its bizarre attractions and out-of-towners, and then on top of it all, the head honcho posing as a family-slash-business man.

She still hadn't let go of Marie's hand once inside and stood, gazing in awe at the chosen decor. It was more modern and upbeat.

The presence of a dog also caught her attention. A large, white German shepherd happy to see company came strolling in panting and wagging his tail. He pushed his nose right into Jenn's side and thrust his head against the palm of her free hand, getting in between her and Paul. It was a welcome sight and she finally let go of Marie to kneel and pet him.

"That's my dog, Thorn," Max informed. "He's a great judge of character... please, have a seat. Make yourselves comfortable."

"Don't mind if I do!" Paul announced optimistically as he started to make his way to the china cabinet that contained Max's prized liquor. The head vampire saw this, and he ordered Paul back.

"Sit down, please."

"Augh! But you said 'make yourselves comfortable!' If you didn't mean it, you shouldn't say it!"

Regardless of the blocked attempt, Paul threw himself into the nearest sofa chair that happened to be close to where Jenn was.

Marie also knelt down on the other side of Thorn. The dog took a moment from being pampered by Jenn to sniff Marie's outstretched fingers. His eyes brightened, he raised his ears, and he wagged his tail. He barked a couple of times and Marie watched with great intensity. Max couldn't help but witness this with fascination. Thorn was habitually protective of Max, as a Hound of Hell should be.

At last, Marie rose to her full height and turning to Max, she said to him in all seriousness, "Thorn told me has to go to the bathroom and he doesn't want to make a mess in the living room."

Max wasn't sure what to say at first, until he remembered that the brunette was a werewolf. It only made sense for her to understand and communicate with other supernatural canines.

"That… is true," he finally said as he went to the front door and motioned for Throne to go outside and do his business. "We can't have a mess inside, not after I work hard to keep it clean."

David already wasn't amused and chose to stand behind where everyone else sat. Max always caused him to crave more cigarettes or partake a little extra in some of Paul's weed.

"Girls, this is Max... our father," his voice lacked enthusiasm as he said "father," but he wanted to get the show on the road. They had better things to do, like disrupt the rowdy parties that were currently going on down at the beach. "Why don't you introduce yourselves?"

"Hi Max! I'm Jenn," the blonde blurted, throwing a single hand up in the air as a wave. "I'd really like to know what's going on here, because the idea of being held prisoner like this really pisses me off!"

Despite her good time the night before, her anger was now rising and her eyes started to twitch. A small light emitted from her hands and she breathed in to try and keep calm. Why was she trying to keep calm? It was Paul. It had to have been, damn him. As soon as she looked over at the rockstar, her emotions settled and she cleared her throat. "It's not fair, is all. We weren't doing anything wrong. I feel like I'm just waiting for the next bad thing to happen because you are all so predatory."

The werewolf went next with her introduction, though she wasn't as visibly angry as her companion.

"Marie," she said simply while studying Max's movements. The older man moved about like a regular human and other than the horrid stench he carried like the boys, there was nothing that screamed "vampire!" about him.

Naturally she was noticing the way Jenn would go off one second, only to be calmed the next because of Paul. What was it about him that made her this way? The guy had two faces about him: one where he was a time bomb ready to go off, and the other was this laidback guy with a celebrity artist appeal. There didn't seem to be any middle ground with him. It bothered her how much of an influence he had over Jenn in such a short amount of time.

Meanwhile, over on the sofa chair, Paul was watching the introductions with some amusement. He got a major kick seeing how all it took was one look from him for Jenn to not blow up the entire house. Whoever would have thought HE would be the one to calm someone down, instead of doing the complete opposite? But damn, if he still couldn't figure out what it was about her that made this attraction for her so intense. Out of all of the girls he'd been with, she was the one to make him want to learn more about her, inside and out.

"I told her everything was gonna work out," Paul said to Max with full on confidence as he relaxed his hands behind his head and leaned back into the cushions. "They're not like the others, and I don't mean just plain human. C'mon, what do you say? Can we keep 'em?"

Dwayne reached over and smacked Paul a good one in the arm. They all knew how he was, but going off about keeping them would only make Max do the opposite, or so it seemed.

"Don't ruin this for us, shit head." It was a playful warning.

Max nodded at both Jenn and Marie. Even when Jenn displayed a hint of her power, he could only smile sadly at her. No wonder these girls were in such a state; the boys were treating them like exotic pets.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, before giving Paul a brief but stern glance. Then with a kind face, he put his focus on talking to the girls. "My boys misbehaved and must have given you two quite the shock. However, they're simply being protective of this family. It's not every day we come across a werewolf and a human with special powers. It's not often some of them insist on keeping such company, either. After hearing the excitement buzz, I had to meet you two, to make sure this wouldn't be a mistake."

Now he took to addressing David.

"I'd like to spend some time alone with our guests. I'll summon you when we're finished. It won't be long, I promise."

David looked leery, but nodded and jerked his head toward the door. "You heard the man, boys. Let's give him some space."

His jaw was tight as he looked at Max, giving him a silent yet fair warning. There was nothing he could do if the head decided to keep the girls around for his own company or use, but at the same time his respect for the elder hadn't completely vanished despite their differences. "We'll be waiting outside."


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's notes:** Thank you Winchestergirl123 and the anon guest reviewers for the comments! Special thank you to anissamarie2012 from Tumblr for promoting our story through our AO3 link! Please don't hesitate to let us know what you think about our story, because as we've said before, we are having a lot of fun writing this out.

* * *

As the boys exited, Jenn twisted hard in her seat to catch eyes with Paul in order to make sure he would in fact be back. The situation made her feel tangled in a giant spider-web. One minute she was aching to be free and the next she was itching to make sure he would still be around. Was it all one big mind fuck or spell she was under?

Her chest felt heavy as soon as the door shut and she felt panic sink in. She gripped the edge of her seat and closed her eyes, waiting for the fire to come. When it didn't, she opened her eyes and found Thorn lying at her feet. It was a small comfort. Then, without disturbing the dog, she inched closer to Marie and locked arms with her.

Max excused himself and disappeared into the kitchen. Minutes later he returned with a tray containing chips and crackers on a plate, accompanied with two glasses of water. The tray was set on a coffee table and Max helped himself to a seat by the fireplace. There was no fire in it, but one could easily imagine it ablaze on a cold winter night. He was surprised that the girls hadn't wandered off to find any means of escape. However, the boys were close by and would have put a stop to that if need be.

"I do apologize for the rough way you were treated," Max expressed regretfully as he saw how scared the girls were. He couldn't blame them. They were before a stranger they learned was a head vampire. Heavens knew what he was capable of doing to them. "It's unfortunate, but the boys do lack discipline in some areas. They need structure, they need guidance. I can only do so much as a single father, but I will do whatever it takes to make sure my boys are properly cared for, and that they make sensible choices."

Marie couldn't believe what she was hearing. As she clung to Jenn, refusing to let her go, she listened to Max as he went on like some concerned parent at a PTA meeting. This guy was a vampire with that kind of thinking? Talk about out of this world. Yet the last words he spoke stirred some nerves. "Doing whatever it took," huh? And "sensible choices?" What did that mean for her and Jenn?

Despite having consumed three slabs of steak earlier, Marie couldn't resist the Doritos calling out to her from the tray. While still keeping an arm around Jenn, she slowly reached over, plucked a chip from the plate, and sniffed it. She couldn't help it, she was so convinced on the possibility of being poisoned, and when she found no trace of anything lethal, she popped the chip into her mouth. Then she grabbed a few more before sitting back and offering Jenn some.

Jenn took a few chips that were offered but before she plopped them into her mouth she asked, "What does that mean for us?" She didn't trust Max, or any of them for that matter, but at the same time he didn't seem sketchy, although acting like a decent citizen was weird enough. She chewed fast and then reached for one of the glasses of water and drank the entire thing down.

Thorn briefly looked up at her as if worried, and then she realized she hadn't had Marie sniff it out to make sure it wasn't tainted. There was no taste, but then again, as far as she knew poison wasn't effective on her system.

"I appreciate your hospitality and all..." she was about to say the same thing she had said earlier but refrained. What difference would it make? What she really wanted to know was why she felt immensely connected to Paul. Her eyes wandered a little as she thought about this.

"Have you girls ever wanted something so badly that you would do anything to obtain it?" Max suddenly asked. He leaned forward in his seat and rested his elbows on his knees. He was studying the girls intently, as if wanting to make sure they heard his question. His hands were folded together and he rested his chin on top of them. "Besides it's not usual for any of my boys to act like they had been recently."

He was referring to Paul in particular, but he didn't even need to say his name to have the girls know whom he was referring to. "There's something about you, Jenn, which connects you with him. I can see it in his eyes, the way he looks at you, and how his body gravitates toward you like a moon to its planet. He may not touch you, but he wants to be around you. As far as I'm aware of, he has never been this way with any girl since he became a part of this family."

"Yeah," Jenn said as if that was a stupid question, but there were limits. "I wouldn't kidnap or kill someone for it, though. That's not the kind of world I live in and even if I did, it wouldn't make me happy. Far as I know."

She fidgeted in her seat as Max continued, realizing that vampires were very adept in reading body language as well as minds. It must have been a form of instincts that helped them become better hunters and survivors, which meant there was no getting around the truth. "Okay. I admit it! It's true. I feel the same way about him. I don't know why, I'm just drawn to him and I feel like we've met before or something. I can't deny it, but I want to get to know him on my own terms, not by force."

"Tell me a little about yourself," Max said, exhibiting patience and consideration. He was also making mental notes of everything being revealed. "What are your powers? Do they come from your family? Have you ever had to use your powers in a lethal way?"

"I believe they come from my mom, but she's never shown me anything, so I can't be sure, and my dad ran out on us when I was real little. I can, um..." she turned to Marie, uncertain if she should reveal everything she was capable of. "Well, telekinesis is one of them. I can also regenerate and heal myself."

She looked around for a sharp object to demonstrate but found none and she figured Max probably didn't want blood on the carpet, vampire or not. "I'm just learning to mimic powers. I tried to kill your sons last night, if that counts as lethal." She cleared her throat and buttoned her lips, unsure about how angry he would be with that last statement. "Other than that, no."

"Of course, it's understandable in that situation," Max agreed, showing no signs of anger over what could have happened to the boys. Then he moved his attention to Marie, who had cleaned out the entire tray of snacks and was drinking down her water. Goodness, he forgot how big of appetites werewolves had.

"And… you, Marie? Would you please tell me a little about yourself?"

Marie wrinkled her nose as she swallowed the last of her water and set her now empty glass down. This would be twice she would reveal her past to a vampire, but she went through the motions of doing so anyway. She told Max the same things she told Dwayne in the cave earlier: about being abandoned after her lone wolves parents took off, leaving her in the care of pack members whose lifestyle did not appeal to her.

"I was an emotional wreck when Jenn came into my life. We became friends, she learned about my secret as I learned a little about hers… and we decided we wanted to start new lives away from everything we knew."

Marie shrugged and placed a comforting hand on Jenn's knee as she stared ahead at Max with wet brown eyes.

"I owe this girl my life. She came when I thought I had nobody left to care for me… I'll do ANYTHING for her."

Then with her other hand she waved it about in the air as she once again displayed such a casual air about her, the tears having mysteriously vanished. "So other than the rage that may fill me during a full moon, blood moon, supermoon, and all that fun stuff—I'm just an average American born werewolf."

Max was smiling sincerely after hearing Marie's story.

"You girls are good for one another," he said. "It's rare to find such authenticity when it comes to true friendship. The boys appreciate this very much. They may be frightening at times, but they are very protective of one another, so they can understand and value what you two have."

He gradually rose from his seat and took to standing next to an old grandfather clock that softly ticked away the seconds. He was thoughtful as he clasped his hands behind his back.

"Jenn," he said, "you wish to get to know Paul better?"

Jenn realized then what Marie had said made sense now in their situation. They wanted to start new lives, and maybe just maybe in some weird, twisted way, the vampires had something to do with that new life. "I do, but I refuse to be treated like a caged canary."

"Very well. Marie? What do you want to do in this situation?"

The werewolf promptly replied, "Whatever Jenn wants to do, I just want to be with her."

She refused to factor Dwayne into this. He was nice to her, even apologetic, but their relationship was nothing like what Paul and Jenn had going on… Wait, relationship?! Good God, she couldn't believe she was even calling it that. Her main concern was for her friend and how she was going to be treated by everyone involved. If any of these vampires thought about using her like some lab rat, all hell was going to break loose.

Thorn actually barked loudly a couple of times, to which Marie smirked down at him and nodded. "Good," she said with satisfaction, "I'm glad you agree with us."

"I'm going to need a moment with David, girls, but I must tell you that despite their crude behavior, if you should choose to stay of your own free will, you will never find a family as loyal as this one. I have plans of my own in terms of settling down, but I really believe that you could be good for them. I do realize the wrong they have done to you and it might take some time, but I have a feeling you both know which path to take. Feel free to take more of these snacks. I have plenty. It should only take a few minutes between David and I."

Jenn took Max's cue and stood up, leaving everything else behind, but before she left, she gave Thorn one more pet. "Maybe I'll see you again sometime," she told the dog with sweet consideration.

Max opened the door for the both of them and once again, Jenn took Marie's arm and they walked out together. The boys were leaning against their bikes sharing a smoke and David moved forward automatically as if he had heard what Max had said inside. Maybe he had been listening with those preternatural ears. Jenn wondered what he would say after Max told him his decision. She wondered if they really would allow them to leave if they wanted.

The front door closed behind David, leaving the rest of the group to their own devices.

"Hey, you made it!" Paul teased as he dropped his cigarette to the ground and rubbed it out with his boot. The last remnants of smoke drifted around his features as he gave his attention to Jenn.

"What'd you think?" he asked, talking about Max. "Nothing like you'd expect? Totally threw me for a loop when I first saw him. I even told David that he looked like he could be Mr. Roger's next door neighbor."

"I certainly wouldn't have imagined him as the vampire in charge," Marie remarked even though Paul wasn't talking to her. She found herself examining the boys' bikes for the first time, noticing how each of them had their own personality and style to them.

"Mr. Rogers, yeah," Jenn laughed, feeling much more relaxed being outside in the fresh air. Even though Max had been plenty nice, she was actually happy to be back with the other boys. "Depending on what he says to David, we might have a proposition for you. Not sure if you'll like it but, I think it might work out better for all of us."

* * *

"David, what is your honest opinion of the girls so far?"

"They are..." David started to say but stopped and turned his back to the outside so that his boys couldn't see his lips move. "What does it matter? They're here. They're assets, and Paul and Dwayne want them. Question is, what are you thinking now that you've met the two of them? This isn't exactly a situation I've dealt with before. Usually our play things don't stick around for very long."

"No, they don't," Max agreed as he took a seat in the same chair he sat in when talking to the girls earlier. "David, have you heard of the saying 'if you love something, set it free?' Love is a strong word, yes, but none of us have ever seen Paul so infatuated with one young lady before. I also sense that Dwayne has grown an attachment to Marie, someone who is supposed to be an enemy. After speaking to the girls, I don't believe they'd be happy being 'trapped' in the cave with you. They're not completely against getting to know you all, but I just don't see things working out realistically if they're forced to stay against their own wills."

"Are you trying to tell me that Paul's flavor of the week is going to turn into that word you just used?" David wasn't amused. In fact he didn't want to entertain the idea very much longer, yet he knew there was something evident between Paul and the girl. Jenn. Her name was Jenn and Marie was the werewolf. Marko must have felt it too, otherwise he wouldn't have been as pissed off about the idea of letting them live.

"You sure about this? We've never let anyone go that knows who and what we are. You said yourself a long time ago it was a bad idea. Now we're just going to trust them after we've kept them? What if they're just saying what they need to say to get out of here?"

"David. Look behind you... does that look like two girls trying to get away after all you put them through?"

He turned around and saw them chatting with Paul in a rather friendly manner, when in reality the opening for an escape was right there, even if they wouldn't make it far.

"We're not exactly conventional in terms of vampire society," Max explained, "but my dream is to one day have a complete family. Those girls... depending on what they chose to do... they might see things differently. They're not normal. They're outcasts, misfits, like us, no? Can you see a 'normal human' fitting in with us, David? Or even comprehending our lifestyle?"

"Misfits?" David questioned. "No. We're the kings IN the jungle. What's going to stop us? There isn't anything that can."

He started to smile, a little full of himself and then he sobered up quick. "You're ordering me to let them go, aren't you?" He hated taking orders from Max, especially due to the fact that it made him look weak in front of his boys. That's what he considered them, his, because he cared for them, looked out for them, taught them how to survive, yet it all seemed in vain when Max gave the final decree. "Fine, but if this goes wrong, I'm sending Dwayne and Paul to you for answers."

"So be it," Max replied, pleased that David wasn't going to put up a fight. It hardly ever escalated to that point, but if anything were to happen to him, David would have to take on the responsibility of everything that was required of being a head vampire. It wasn't all fun and games and sometimes, sacrifices had to be made. Such was the case for two potential partners for two of his sons.

"Watch yourselves out there," he said in his typical, fatherly tone. "And have a good night."

Thorn, who had moved over to sit by Max's feet, growled at David.

David barely acknowledged Max's good wishes with a slight nod to keep things respectful, before he looked down at the dog.

"The feeling is mutual," he said indifferently and turned to walk out of the house.

He could tell by the looks on the boys' faces that they knew something was up and it wasn't good.

* * *

David held the conclusion to the girls' story in the palm of his gloved hands, but refused to disclose any information to them or his boys until they reached Hudson's Bluff. It seemed fitting as it was the beginning and it would serve as an end for yet another story to begin. It would be the first time ever letting captives go free and remain a part of the living, and he knew it would drive Paul insane. Dwayne would deal with it, but since Paul still retained much of his human side in the scheme of things, his coping mechanisms could possibly be hard to handle.

As soon as his front tire hit the edge, sending rocks to the crashing waves down below, he cut the engine, dropped the kick stand and turned backwards on his seat to face the others.

"Okay boys, this is how it's going to be. We're letting Marie and Jenn go their own way."

He paused, carefully calculating the looks on the others faces. "Ladies, you are free to go. We will not hunt you. We will not search for you. I only ask that you pay us the same courtesy when it comes to harm's way. What you do from here on out is up to you. This is your choice."

Paul's blue eyes widened with surprise over the announcement. He wasn't sure what to think at first. On one hand, it was great that the girls weren't going to be killed, but on the other hand, they were granted freedom. He hadn't even gotten that far with Jenn, and now it looked like she might slip away before he even had a chance to... to do...

 _What the fuck was I going to do with her?_ Paul wondered in frustration as he clenched his jaw and remained sitting on his bike. He slowly turned around to look back at Jenn, to gauge her reaction. Was she really going to leave when she only just got here?

Jenn's arms had slowly slipped from Paul's waist the moment the bikes stopped and when she heard David's announcement, she wasn't shocked. Considering her and Marie's conversation with Max, this was the proposition she had warned Paul about before they left the house. Her look towards him was apologetic.

"I did tell you I wanted to make my own decision about whether I stayed or went." With haste, she helped herself off his bike and walked with square, confident shoulders towards David. "Honest truth? You're letting us go?"

"I am," David replied. "No hard feelings I hope."

Marie eagerly climbed off of Dwayne's bike and hurried over to Jenn's side, where she slipped a hand into one of hers and stood with her.

"I guess you fang bangers aren't so bad after all," the werewolf remarked happily, even offering David the first genuine smile since the whole ordeal started. "I get it, you guys did what you had to do and stuff, so yeah, no hard feelings. You guys are just protecting yourselves from outsiders like us."

Dwayne said nothing. He watched Marie slip away from his side and felt a terrible anger rising to the surface. There would be hell to pay down at the beach later when it came time for chow. He remembered how Max used to refuse the idea of his boys having mates unless he approved, and apparently he hadn't approved. Something about one or the other growing bitter in time living with the same ordeal for eternity, yet how would they ever know if never given the chance? It was doubtful that Marie would return.

Jenn thought she heard Marie agreeing with David, even after everything that had happened. Granted it wasn't entirely horrible, despite her radical blood loss, but all she could see was the road ahead to freedom. In that moment for her, nothing else mattered, not even the pull she felt coming from Paul. She turned and grabbed Marie by the arm, pulling her with her as she started to walk, afraid that something might change and David would take it back.

Paul gnashed his teeth and watched as the girls started to walk away from them. Just like that, they were leaving! Even with Marie protesting that Jenn was supposedly moving too fast, neither of them was showing any hesitation over their decision.

He snorted as he forced himself to look away, clearly annoyed with what just happened. What could he do, though? He wasn't supposed to be acting or feeling this way. No piece of ass was worth fighting to keep here.

"You don't know what you're missing!" he hollered, still keeping his back to the retreating girls.

Paul's words stung and Jenn could feel the force of them attempting to pull her back, but she couldn't let it happen, not then at least. She wanted space and time to make sure her head was clear and what she thought she felt was real and not some altered mind fuck.

Marie couldn't help but steal one last glance at the group of bikers and one fleeting glance at Dwayne. She could have sworn he wasn't too happy when Jenn proceeded to drag them away. Why should that make her feel bad? Dwayne didn't own her, just like no man would, and certainly no vampire would ever lay claim over her.

With a sigh, she decided to focus ahead. She shifted into her wolf form and had Jenn climb onto her back. Once knowing her friend was holding onto her fur tight, the werewolf frantically took off running on all four paws, taking them as far away from Hudson's Bluff as possible.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note:** A tremendous thank you to Kate and Winchestergirl123 for the lovely reviews! :)

* * *

Leaving Santa Carla was smart, but the girls didn't wander far. Their travels took them to Capitola, where they held up in a small motel with enough luxury to suit their needs while they dealt with what had happened. Neither of them admitted that something was preventing them from going any further, but the notion was there in silence, which meant a lot of TV and a lot of delivery. They took turns receiving the orders, each time checking the parking lot for certain intruders, but each time, as promised, there was nothing and no one but the person handing over the food.

On one particular night, Jenn was craving macaroni and cheese and chocolate cake. She found a buffet that delivered and the girls ordered one of everything off the menu. When it arrived and there was a knock at the door, Jenn got up and grabbed the cash, making sure to check the peephole before opening it.

"I got a few more bags," the young man said, looking rather perplexed as he shrugged. "You guys throwing a party? I couldn't carry it all in. Mind helping me unload? My car is right over there."

For a second, Jenn paused but then she shook her head no. "We'll pay you extra for your trouble. Just bring them all in please…"

She turned away from the door with defeat. It wasn't that she was afraid to go outside, but rather, afraid of what she might do once she was out there when the strangers of the night found her.

Marie finished setting up their table for tonight's banquet. She was eagerly anticipating the cheese and chocolate, partially because it would attempt to ease her worries.

"I still can't believe I acted like I agreed with what they did to us back there," Marie complained as she wiped the back of her forehead with her fist. She frowned slightly before slowly shaking her head. "It couldn't be helped, though. I wanted to make sure they weren't going to pull any fast ones on us. I also just wanted to get us the hell out of there."

She decided to fetch a couple of glasses and fill them with ice. As she walked past one of the windows, a gentle breeze blew, allowing her to see the motel sign outside. Sure, they left the town of Santa Carla, but they were still well within Santa Carla County itself. Capitola was a quaint little beach town and as far as Marie could tell, there wasn't any vampire stink within miles, which suited her just fine.

As she returned with the glasses, she stood in front of Jenn and offered her one of them.

"How you holding up?" she asked.

Jenn was still standing with her arms folded, staring out the door, watching the delivery guy. "You were doing what you needed to do," she said, her voice low and soft as if she were caught in deep thought. "Is why I dragged you away. I knew what I wanted to do and it didn't involve running." She blinked and took a breath and finally turned around to face her friend.

"It's all I can think about," she admitted. "I don't think anything we do is going to change that and I don't think going any further away is either."

Marie set the glasses down and took to leaning against the table. She figured Jenn was still thinking about what happened. Who wouldn't, considering what she went through? Two vampires drained her of her blood. Marie had nightmares every night since they left, seeing that same scene over and over again. It didn't matter if she attempted to rescue her friend, the result was always the same: Jenn was left for dead. She was ashamed for not having done anything for her despite the fact that there hadn't been anything she could have done back then, not without dire consequence.

"I hate them for trapping us like this," she confessed. "There are no physical restraints, but mentally? They've got us chained."

Snatching the last bag from the guy, Jenn handed him a wad of cash and slammed the door with a quick thank you as he turned away.

"I don't feel chained. I feel need." She shrugged. "It's been three nights now and two days of wandering around the seaside like I've lost my brain and it's not because of what they did. It's because, I'm still drawn to him. That probably sounds pathetic, huh? I mean, don't you feel any of that? At all? Or am I just crazy?"

Marie started going through the bags, pulling out the delicious smelling contents and setting them on the plates.

"Humans sometimes feel attachment toward the vampires who drain them but keep them alive," she stated, but then remembered that the vampires didn't exactly keep Jenn alive. They had intentions of killing her. They were practically gorging on her as if she was a Thanksgiving feast. Her coming back to life surprised all of them, Marie included.

"Paul was the first one to reach out to you and bite you, so you probably feel some connection to him since you guys spent all that time together. Here."

She handed the blonde a stacked plate before she went and opened one of the liters of soda that came with the food.

Marie couldn't say she felt as drawn to those vampires-or rather, to Paul-as Jenn was. Maybe it was because she was a werewolf, and it was basically in her genes to repel anything having to do with the undead. Aside from the rocky beginning, Dwayne turned out to be... decent. He did help get rid of her headache, and he kissed her... Not on the lips, but still...

Her fingers gripped her glass tightly just thinking about how close he got to her, and how she just allowed him to touch her in such a way. It made her mad, because the last male who touched her like how he had ended up hurting her.

A crack was heard and Marie gasped. Soda was dribbling over her fingers, which had broken the glass she was holding.

"Shoot," she hissed as she hurried over to the sink before any more soda could spill onto the carpet.

Jenn almost dropped the plates when she heard the glass break. She tossed them onto the bed and hurried over to help Marie, making sure she wasn't hurt.

"What was that all about?" she asked, grabbing a few paper towels before taking her friends hand in her to make sure there was no glass in her skin.

"Marie, I felt a connection to him way before he ever bit me. It was like our minds channeled into each other as soon as we were near one another. He could have killed me. He didn't. I felt that urge as soon as he took that first drink, weird as that sounds."

Marie's hand was free from any long lasting damage and Jenn carefully let it go, revealing a blank stare as she remembered the images she had received from Paul in that moment when his fangs dipped into her life pool. She had to swallow hard to maintain her form because the experience had been damn near orgasmic.

In slow motion she moved away from the sink and grabbed the plates again. "It made me so hungry." She then opened the cartons and spooned a bunch of the macaroni out, not hesitating to lick the extra from the utensil.

"Tomorrow night I'm going back to the boardwalk."

The werewolf could admit that her memories of what happened were more than likely over exaggerations. Her human companion, despite what happened to her, did not view the past in the same horrific fashion, considering she was willing to go back to the murder capital.

"Seriously?" Marie questioned as she bent down to make sure no pieces of glass fell to the carpet. In her mind she was shaking her head desperately, wanting to scream, **_"Are you CRAZY?!"_** The Lost Boys allowed them to leave with their lives, now Jenn wanted to do a U-turn and go back. After living in near paranoia for the past few nights, if this was how Jenn felt possibly all along, they might as well have just stayed in the cave with those creatures.

Taking a seat on the carpet and sitting back on her hands, having found no traces of glass, Marie sighed in defeat. Jenn was beyond fixated with Paul and there was nothing she could do about it. If the wolf girl had any sense of self preservation, if she hadn't devoted herself to protecting Jenn, she would have just left and truly became a lone wolf. She wasn't sure where she would go, but anywhere else had to be a safer bet than Santa Carla.

Ultimately, though, she would not abandon her best friend. She couldn't, not after going through so much together, even long before meeting David and his boys.

Rubbing the side of her face with her palm, she mumbled, "What time did you want to leave?"

Food was the last thing on her mind now.

"I know, it is an insane gesture." Jenn could feel the emotions pouring out of Marie frantically trying to shake her friend and make her come to her senses. "By all rights I should have my head checked. I mean who goes ga-ga over someone who kidnaps you? But I don't think I'm crazy. I really think there is something else to it and I need to find out what."

She paused and set her plate aside. "Marie, I love you. You are like my sister and I won't make you come with me if you don't want to, but on the other hand, I don't know what I would do without you by my side. All I know is that I can't move forward without going back. I can't feel his influence on me. I can't. Sometimes I wonder if that's what it is and this is just a trap, but the pull isn't there."

She tapped her temple. "It's... here."

She put her hand on her heart. "Heaven forbid, we all know vampires are evil, so, there has to be another reason, right?"

"Only one way to find out," Marie replied before nodding her head. "Yeah, okay. Believe me when I say I do want to go with you if simply because I want to make sure that this isn't a trick. I can attempt to protect you by going up against my genetic arch enemy if need be. However…"

Jumping to her feet, Marie's eyes sparked with excitement as she openly declared that she wanted to dye her hair.

"If we're going to the boardwalk and be surrounded by all sorts of people, I want to stand out. It's been so long since I last did anything exciting with my hair. It used to be a major hobby for me and all. I can even do some work on your hair too, if you want."

She almost sounded like a different person: one second she was serious and laser focused on protecting her friend, and the next second she was preparing to have some fun. Then she figured if she absolutely had to go down fighting, possibly even dying, at least she would leave this world fashionable.

"Okay, now that is an odd request, but so be it. Wish granted!" Jenn snapped both fingers in the air. "I might as well look my best if I'm going to flaunt my stuff on enemy territory. Well, semi-enemy for me... Lord help the both of us." She laughed and then fell back on the bed, loving the fact that it bounced for a few good seconds.

"I'm not hungry anymore. We just wasted all that money on food. Maybe it'll keep in this tiny fridge in here? I know the cake will at least. I do know one thing now, getting fed on by a vampire, completely drains me, no pun intended. I haven't been able to satisfy the hunger since, except just now. Now I have butterflies and I feel like some little teenage girl with a crush. We should get drunk!"

"I'll call the front desk and see if they can do a booze run for us," Marie suggested. Jenn's high spirit was quite infectious. It wasn't as if David **_banned_ ** them from returning to Santa Carla. The girls were simply no longer their prisoners, so they could do whatever they wanted, so long as they offered the boys respect the next time they encountered one another.

 _We'll see if it was all just an act or if they really meant it_ , Marie thought as she walked over to the phone.

"If they don't do it, maybe I can practice the power of influence over them!" Jenn said, wagging her eyebrows with enthusiasm. She felt drunk already and hadn't had a drop of alcohol. Maybe a little of that liquid courage would do her good the next night. Or maybe not, considering with all her inhibitions gone, there was no telling what she would let the sexy blonde vampire do to her and putting on a show in public was not something she wanted to force Marie to watch.

"Hey, Marie!" she called, rolling over onto her stomach so that her arms and hands dangle off the bed. "You think if Dwayne really liked you, you'd give him a shot?" Her friend was still on the phone but it didn't matter, there was a shift in the atmosphere all around them that told her they were doing the right thing, deranged as it seemed.

Even during mid-conversation with the front desk employee, Marie found herself thinking about the vampire with the magic touch. He sure did know what he was doing when he helped her get rid of her headache on that night. Strong, handsome, knowledgeable… He was already a step above the last guy she was with.

Setting the phone down on the cradle, Marie took a seat on her bed which was right next to the one Jenn was sprawled on.

"I can't," she insisted, though the tone of her voice wasn't strong enough to make her words convincing. "He's a vampire, and I'm a werewolf. We're not supposed to be compatible. Maybe if I was a vampire like him, or he was a werewolf like me, or if we were both human…"

Her eyes then cast downward at her socks. "You humans are lucky. You can hook up with just about any species and nobody would really argue it. But a werewolf and a vampire? That only spells disaster."

"You sure?" Now Jenn flipped onto her back and let her head hang over the edge a bit as she squinted and glared up at Marie. "Legend and everything, but who gives a rat's ass? I mean have you ever really witnessed it? Max didn't seem too worried about it and if he is a head vampire, whatever that truly means, it should mean something to you. Believe me, I might have been in the zone around that other blonde dude..." She grinned unable to hold back, "but I did notice Dwayne's interest in you."

She shimmied there on the bed, throwing punches in the air toward the ceiling. "So, are they bringing the goods or what? We're paying good money for this place."

"You're in a very good mood," Marie observed, unable to help but smirk. Jenn's words did hint upon truth. She hadn't seen any personal failures when it came to vampire-werewolf relationships. It was from what she read and what she was told over the years, of how vampires were the ultimate enemy and to expect nothing but the worst from them. David and his boys weren't the most well-mannered, but after earning their trust, they treated her and Jenn decently enough. Max was nothing like she expected a head vampire to appear or behave. He was actually pleasant.

"They're coming up in about fifteen minutes," Marie said, answering Jenn's question. "Let's drink it up tonight and make our plans for tomorrow night."

Jenn danced even more. "I feel like we're on the right path now and we weren't before. Just had to turn the tables and gain the upper hand. This is OUR choice, not theirs. It's how it should be with guys in general." She laughed. "I'm kidding. Kind of. For all I know, he's just like the others and moved on. I wouldn't be surprised if he was banging some other girl right now as we speak and not even thinking about me or us or whatever. That's what the booze is for."

* * *

Eddie Money's "Take Me Home Tonight" played from the boardwalk speakers as Jenn and Marie entered the seaside park. It was a starless night and the place was crowded and festive, as was to be expected during this time of the year. The beach was packed with people and a number of folks were swimming or surfing in the water.

Marie was in a great mood. Her hair was streaked with pink, blue, and purple highlights and her head was topped with a black hat much like what Debbie Gibson sported. Wearing a chic denim jacket, printed pants, and a simple pair of canvas shoes, Marie was the embodiment of MTV's fashion—or so she liked to believe. It was an upgrade to how she appeared when she first arrived in Santa Carla, wearing only a bland shirt, jeans, sneakers, and no vibrant colors in her hair. Granted, she and Jenn were on the move, so there wasn't much need to show off if they were constantly going from one place to another. Tonight was different. Perhaps it was the presence of the full moon that affected the disposition of the werewolf, but she was in a much better place mentally than she was last night.

"What's the gameplan?" Marie asked as she turned to her best friend, stopping next to one of the main ticket booths. "Are you going to make it obvious by scouting Paul? Or you going to act casual and walk around here, and then pretend to be surprised when he shows up all random like?"

Jenn didn't rely on clothes when it came to her sex appeal, but she did enjoy fashion, and it didn't hurt when she found something that revealed her petite curves like the hot pink mini skirt she was sporting that night, along with a low rise v-neck and black leather jacket. It was louder than anything she usually wore, but couldn't resist as she felt it brought out the go-getter animal within. One way or another, it wouldn't stop her from having fun, or possibly climbing over some fencing or running down rugged terrain if a quick getaway was needed.

She held up one of her hands in the air as they walked and let the bracelets she wore jingle. "I love this song," she declared, looking up toward the sky. It made the crowds around them vanish for a short moment before she brought her inner self back to earth and her eyes settled on the many small booths managed by settlers and drifters alike, all wanting to make a small fortune. She heard one man holler something about coming to see a vanishing woman and it made her laugh before she contemplated Marie's questions. "Maybe we should get our ears pierced first?"

A big smile had spread across her face as she wagged her brows and regarded her friend. "I don't want to be obvious and I don't want to seem desperate." Then she made a dramatic declaration crushing her fists against her heart, "Oh my dear captor! I've missed you so, take me!"

Her raucous laughter filled the space around them, and when she was done she bumped shoulders with Marie. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. It's this area. Don't you feel it? I know now why all the runaways come here. It's very much like Neverland, but you know, with a much darker backdrop."

Marie rubbed the side of her nose as the smell of alcohol and weed grew pungent, along with garlic fries, cotton candy, and body odor. Not the most pleasant mix of smells, but she didn't have a choice. This was the hot spot for life in Santa Carla.

She searched the sea of people for any sign of the Lost Boys, but so far she didn't see them. So far so good! This meant she could spend time having fun with Jenn.

"Where WOULD they hang out around here if they showed up?" Marie wondered aloud as she tried to imagine where the bikers would park their wheels. There were too many people travelling about the place, too many eager hands willing to touch anything. Then she cursed inward. Damn, why was she thinking about them? Jenn was the one who was on the main mission to being here. Marie was simply here as the tag-along friend and protector.

"Let's get some garlic fries," she insisted while tugging on Jenn's wrist. "Just imagine Paul smelling your breath after you eat 'em!"

"All right," Jenn agreed, locking arms with her friend as they traveled. It made it easier to slide in between people and not get knocked into another universe, or rather some part of the crowd that hindered the ability to find said friend again. "I suppose it would serve him right for holding us against our will."

She could tell Marie's mind was focused on the vampires a lot more than hers was, even though they were the reason for being on the boardwalk. However, Jenn was leaving it up to fate, or chance. If they didn't happen to find them, it wasn't meant to be and perhaps she could move on. She also knew that since they had arrived, the drive to find him again had passed. "I'm not counting on anything happening tonight except for us having a little fun. We deserve it after that fucked up interlude. Pardon my French."

She stopped right outside the little cafe and turned to Marie, grabbing her by the shoulders. "I've decided I don't want fries. I'm going to get ice cream instead. You can get the fries."

There was a moment of pause and Jenn gazed up and over, past Marie, toward the beach. Her eyes hazed as if she were stunned while she listened to the distant sound of motorcycles approaching. When the hum died down she shook her head.

Marie watched Jenn stare out into the distance. She heard motorcycles as well, and she didn't even have to ask what her friend was thinking about.

"Leave it to fate?" Marie questioned, but it was followed with a small smile. She wasn't going to ride on Jenn's case about any potential meetup if and when it happened. They were just going to roll with whatever the night delivered them. She gently patted the back of Jenn's arm before she went to stand in line for her garlic fries.

Meanwhile, over by the carousel, just outside the entrance, David and his boys had just pulled up and they came to play. The leader of the group was dismounting, already on alert, letting his keen eyes and ears lead him to the hottest spot that night, enabling them to stir things up a bit before grabbing a bite to eat.

Marko had run his front wheel as deep in the bike rack as possible ensuring it wouldn't go anywhere while he was gone, but it was also in play as he revved the engine to see how strong his precious ride was. The metal of the rack rattled but the heavy duty armor holding it down prevented it from doing much else. He laughed and killed the motor, dismounting backwards to land square on his feet while raising two hands in the air.

Dwayne was a little quieter with his dismount, steadying his beast as he held the seat and swung his leg over.

"Aww, don't tell me you're still sorry we let those chicks go," Marko tormented.

"I'm just fine," Dwayne assured. "Can't let this beauty get scuffed. Not after all the work I put into her. Besides, I'm HUNGRY." He practically growled the last word. "I need something worthy. A big meal, like big Ed. When are we gettin' our hands on him, David?"

"When the time is right," David answered. He could smell the girls already, even though they weren't in sight and he knew Dwayne probably could to, but he was hiding the fact well, because as soon as Paul caught on, that would be the end of the youngest and his concentration. "In the meantime, let's party down the beach. Unless you fancy standing here all night?"

"No standing, no way, it's time to rock and roll!" Paul proposed. He'd already gotten off his bike right after David had, and was full of energy as usual. Tonight was a new night. New faces, new blood. With David's help, Paul managed to develop a way to shield his mind that made the most sense to him, and most importantly, prevented outsiders (with the powers of telepathy) from hearing his inner thoughts. He was a fast learner, but then again when he applied himself into doing something he wanted, he didn't disappoint.

Even with his new skill more or less under control, Paul hadn't forgotten nor had he stopped thinking about Jenn. He could still recall how soft she was to the touch, how warm she felt, the sound of her voice, and the taste of her blood. With his mental shield up in the form of loud, obnoxious rock music blasting loudly in his mind, nobody would suspect him of longing for one mere girl.

Grinning at Dwayne, Paul gripped his older brother by one of his shoulders. "I heard someone claiming we'd never go for fat people. I mean, why WOULDN'T we? That's enough blood for all four of us to have and then some! Not like they'd know about us being what we are, but we'd never discriminate on how people look, right?!"

"Wait a minute, who was this?" Dwayne stopped short and looked at Paul with concern. "Was this one of the locals?" He then eyed David. "You haven't been telling humans about us and letting them live, have you, little brother?"

"Well now, this is interesting," David said, folding his hands. "I haven't heard talk about anyone knowing of us for a long time. Max has had things under wraps for a while, but I wouldn't be surprised the rumor was spreading through city council with all the ghouls and the like running there in office. You know how it is: they like to rag on us because we don't conform." He laughed. "I wouldn't worry too much, Dwayne."

"Sides, it's true," Marko shrugged, more content with the promise of blood on the horizon. "The Widow Johnson's pack says the same damn thing. I think they're jealous because we won't give them what they want in the sack." He got a whiff of something good and the distraction carried him away from the others. It was time to hunt.

Dwayne blew off being quizzical and started to follow after Marko, patting Paul on the back, but when he entered the boardwalk, the strong smell of wolf caught him and he stopped so hard Paul almost ran into his backside.

Paul managed to catch himself right before making impact with Dwayne's backside.

"Guys, I never said they knew about us being US," he explained, wondering why Dwayne stopped walking. He couldn't see a thick crowd or anything that was blocking his path, so what was the deal? "All I said was that someone said we weren't chubby chasers! I…"

He was already impatient as he walked around Dwayne so that he could stand beside him. Upon doing so, he too picked up on the scent. Right away, he started scanning ahead, in search of either of the girls who'd left their company not even a week ago. As eager as he was to catch even a glimpse of Jenn, he was doing his best to play it cool.

"They just couldn't stay away, huh?" he teased.

Dwayne was on the verge of breaking down and going after the wolf, but he held fast and waited for David's order. He had never been this eager to hunt one before, but for all different reasons.

 _Looks like Max was right this time,_ David thought, keeping it private in his head for the time being. "We'll stick our noses in and play later, boys, after food. Real food. I have a feeling they're not going anywhere anytime soon. Come on."

Marko had fallen back to see what the issue was and when David announced it would be food first, he howled and jumped on Paul's back, giving him a choke hold before he jumped down again. "You know I like a good game! Sure would love to try that blood! It's gotta be the best in town. Huh, Paul? Your gums aching for more, duder?"

Paul threw his hair back and howled with excitement. "It's time to walk this way, bay-bee!"

David was right. They needed to get some food first before having any kind of real fun. Then again, hunting was always fun with he was with the boys.

It would be interesting to see if Jenn had left any long lasting mind whammy on him since their last encounter, but first thing's first: blood.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note:** Special shout-out to Edicts Galore for her wonderful and thoughtful reviews! If you haven't already done so, check out her Lost Boys fanfic "To the Shock of Miss Grace!" And thank you to everyone else who has favored and followed this story. Please continue to leave us feedback!

* * *

After snacks, it was straight to the haunted house for Marie and Jenn, but the walkthrough did little to impress, seeing as much of what they saw had quickly become a reality. Aside from that there was a lot of darkness, sharp gusts of air, and plenty of sound effects. Nonetheless, Jenn still wore a smile on her face when they emerged again into the true night.

"What do you think? Should we take a ride on the carousel or ride something bigger, more fierce?! You know, like the Giant Dipper? How do you feel about roller coasters?"

Jenn could feel something in the air now as they moved, something static, but it wasn't the breeze carried in by the ocean or the remaining warmth from the day. It was magnetic and called to the center of her being, making her feel giddy and almost light headed as if she had drank too much wine. It made her want to dance and jump in the air as if she could fly. It was much like the feeling she had around the blonde vampire the night they talked together in his private room.

"I vote the carousel," she said with haste, neglecting to wait for Marie's response. A nagging tug had hit her, roping itself around her insides and she felt it pulling her in that direction. The feeling was urgent and she gripped her friend's arm.

"Ummm…!" was all Marie could muster before she allowed herself to be pulled to the building, which housed the Looff Carousel. She wondered if the full moon was somehow affecting her companion. For werewolves, there was no question that they were tied to the moon; depending on how full it was it attributed to a wolf's strength and emotion. For some humans, the moon was sometimes blamed for the rise in weird, often violent behavior. Marie wasn't assuming Jenn was going mad, but there was no question that she radiated with excitement and energy, and it was connected to Paul. It was interesting to see unfold, if anything.

There was a long line for those wanting to ride the 1911 merry-go-round, but many of the amusement park rides were going to have just as many people waiting.

 _I don't see any vampires over here_ , Marie thought as they stood in line. She smelled the night crawling gang earlier, and while she didn't say anything to Jenn, the wolf suspected that her friend knew they were close by. Or if anything, Jenn knew PAUL was nearby. Marie was surprised that none of them had approached—surprised, but relieved.

She caught the sight of a particular tall male just ahead. He had long black hair and happened to wear a leather jacket. Her heart skipped a beat and she forced herself to look away, afraid that he would catch her looking.

 _What is wrong with me?_ she wondered, as she very slowly dared to peek back at the male… only to realize it wasn't Dwayne. It was a white guy with features so unlike the vampire's that he immediately set her off. She scowled, shaming herself for getting caught up in the nonsense. She was supposed to be having fun with Jenn and helping her with HER guy situation.

Jenn on the other hand, had been distracted by the sound of brass rings popping and she looked up, trying to see over the many heads and shoulders in line in front of them. All she could see were the horses heads bobbing up and down as the merry-go-round went round and round. The music was hypnotizing to match, but the ride itself wasn't what she was interested in. There was a picture in her head of the vampires lurking, even walking around the popular attraction.

Marie felt it too, Jenn could tell. In fact she could hear a few of her thoughts and backed up a little in order to watch as her friend scouted out a guy similar to the one that had taken a fancy to her back in the cave.

"So you do like him," she teased with a small giggle before sticking her tongue out to express how gross the guy in the crowd was. "They are here, in this area," she determined, "unless I'm losing my mind... come on!" She grabbed Marie by the wrist and yanked her out of line, running towards the entrance nearest the carousel.

"Look. Their bikes, just sitting there." Jenn gawked and let go of Marie as she walked in slow motion towards the vampires' rides. Then she paused, turned around, and headed straight back into the boardwalk. "Now I just feel like a creepy stalker. This is silly. I need to grow up again and regain my brain. You know the one that says, 'these guys would kill you?'"

Before Marie could say anything, a voice overcame the bustling noise from the crowd next to them. "Well, what do we have here? I thought we all agreed not to search for each other?"

It was David, followed by Dwayne, Paul, and Marko.

Paul flashed the girls a toothy grin as he propped an elbow on Marko's shoulder, "Told ya you didn't know what you were missing by leaving us."

He wasn't overly anxious as he had been the last time Jenn and Marie saw him. His confidence still as high as ever, but he had more self-control this time around. His mind was also now heavily guarded with his unique trick. Even then, he couldn't resist staring at Jenn, seeing how hot she looked tonight with her outfit of choice. The short skirt in particular made her ass a major highlight.

Marie pressed her lips together and purposely avoided looking at Dwayne because she didn't want to focus on how obnoxiously sexy he was on this night, even though she was sure he was wearing the same outfit the last time she saw him. Damn it all, the full moon was going to drive her up the wall if it kept playing with her hormones. Instead, she decided to concentrate on David, because while there was no doubt he was striking and charismatic, he wasn't the one stirring up any sentiments.

"Didn't know you guys would hang out here tonight," the werewolf observed as she rested her hands on her hips, resisting the urge to cover her nose because of the vampires' pungent odor. It was like rotting meat with cheap perfume sprayed over it.

It appeared that Marie was going to be the strong one that night, as Jenn was rendered tongue-tied staring at the four vampires in front of them. It was what she wanted all along, to find them, yet now that the mission had succeeded somewhat on its own, her brain was foggy. Her eyes focused on Paul and her lips parted. Like a deer in headlights she stood there in awe of him, and then finally scraped up the nerve to adjust her standing position with a slight shrug. "We were leaving anyway."

"Really?" David caught her in the lie, smirking as he nodded towards the exit. "Isn't that the way out behind you?"

"Does it matter?" She handed the snark right back to him, letting her eyes jet over to his form. For some reason her body was shaky and she wondered if her powers were about to dance again like they'd done before when she hadn't been able to control them. It was all HIS fault, the blonde rock star. It seemed her handle on things always fell apart when he showed up and yet, she was dying to talk to him again. Being stubborn, however, would cause her to put on a show and fight until her point was made, even if it was a false point.

"It might if you're looking for a way out," David concluded.

Marko snickered behind him and put a hand to his lips.

"We're headed for the arcade." David tilted his head, signaling the other boys to follow and began to move, albeit slowly. "In case you care to join. But... there's lots of fish in the sea. Have a good evening, ladies..."

Dwayne paused, giving Marie a respectful nod, and then followed after David and Marko.

Paul's eyes traced Jenn's body, from how light and vibrant her hair was under the boardwalk lights to the natural glow of her eyes. For once, he decided not to chime in with any remarks or jokes. He simply wagged his eyebrows before turning on his heels to follow the boys. As always, he walked with such self-assurance and flair that nobody could touch him.

Marie could only stand there, dumbfounded, as she and Jenn were left to their own devices.

"Just… Just like that they're leaving?" she asked, unsure of what had just happened. It was, in short, civil conversation with their former detainers without anything weird or creepy happening. Then again, they were out in public; those vampires wouldn't do anything that would stir negative attention on them… Right?

Glancing over at her friend, Marie asked, "Did you read any of their minds? What were they thinking? Were they telling the truth about what they're doing?"

"I lost control again," Jenn mumbled, watching the tall blonde walk away with nothing to lose. It figured. He would hook up with anyone he wanted, suck them dry, and move on to the next hot chick down the road. "I didn't get one damn thing," she frowned. "Assholes."

The vampires had chewed them up and spit them out like every other human they had come across. The only difference this time was that the girls were still alive, apart from being taunted by the slippery allure only a vampire like that could possess. Whether they chose to believe it or not, those boys had wormed their way under their skin, like slivers in need of removal. Now it was either follow, or try to withstand the torture of something telling them, or Jenn at least, that she needed to be near them in any way possible.

"I need a drink." She turned into Marie. "Let's say we go down to the wharf and knock back a couple? Maybe try to stay sane that way?"

The werewolf frowned as she watched the boys disappear into the thickening crowds. Hearing the disappointment in Jenn's voice angered her, and with the full moon in plain view, it wouldn't take much to elicit a transformation. Regrettably, like David and his gang, she couldn't risk exposing her true nature in front of a live audience.

"Sure," Marie agreed as she met Jenn's gaze. "We'll walk on the beach so we don't have to walk through the arcade just to go outside again. Let's enjoy the rest of this night…"

Pointing at the pier with determination, she boldly announced, "Onward! To booze!"

* * *

Big hair, big breasts, and big heels encompassed one Bobbie Nicky. She didn't come around the boardwalk often, but when she did, all eyes were on her. Men wanted her, women wanted to be her. It was rumored she was approached by all sorts of music video producers, all who wanted her to be a part of their projects. She turned them down, because she wanted something bigger and better—nobody was sure what that was exactly, but she left people wanting more of her.

Out of all of her admirers, Paul always came the closest to sealing the deal with her. He openly flirted with her, impressed her with his wit and charm, and one time he even gave her a ride on his bike. It pissed off the other devotees that he got that far with her, yet nothing ever serious came of it. Paul never made it obvious that he wanted to claim her as his own, but whenever she approached him, he always made his time with her count.

So it surprised Bobbie Nicky that she saw Paul sitting right outside of the arcade building, but he didn't seem to notice her. How could he NOT notice her? If she had her own spotlight following her, it would have been shining down on her right then.

She cleared her throat loudly as she walked over to him, her high heels clicking noisily on the sidewalk with each step she took. She flipped her wavy, honey colored hair over her shoulders and flashed a devastatingly sexy smile at the biker.

He still wasn't looking at her.

She stopped right beside him and waited for a few more moments, before she tapped him on the arm.

"What's shaking, Bobbie?"

The vixen almost reeled back in shock. Paul didn't even turn to address her. Instead, he was just leaning against the rail, looking out at the pier as if he was lost in thought.

'No way, this can't be right,' she thought as she fought hard not to throw a fit. No man ever brushed her off like this before, and Paul was not going to be the first one!

As soon as she recovered from her inner turmoil, she gasped when she saw that Paul was now staring right at her, grinning. She hadn't even seen him shift his attention onto her. What the hell?!

"You look lost," Paul laughed as he stood up from the rail and looked down at the sexy and sultry Bobbie Nicky. The rock star and the video vixen—they would have made a hot looking couple in another time—but not now.

Bobbie Nicky sniffed and played with the ends of her hair. She made sure to stand in a way that allowed Paul to see down her low cut blouse.

"Wanna go on a ride on your bike?" she asked in a low, husky voice. "I think we can make some major magic happen tonight…"

Paul licked his lips in anticipation. He started to lean forward, as if wanting to take a peek at the generous cleavage that Bobbie Nicky was showing him. She even took a hold of one of his arms and pulled him closer to her, but then he turned and made his way back to the arcade building.

"You're right—magic's gonna happen!" he replied as he yanked his hand away and pulled the door open. "Later, Bobbie!"

The girl clenched her teeth hard and dug her nails into her thighs.

"It's BOBBIE NICKY!" she snapped with mild irritation. Rejection was not something she ever experienced before. How DARE he turn her away! Nobody turned her away!

But Paul did just that…

"Who the hell would he want that isn't me?" she demanded aloud.

* * *

Dwayne had been keeping an eye on Paul from inside the arcade while pretending to play Pac-Man. He knew Bobbie Nicky well enough to know she wasn't his type and never would be, but Paul on the other hand, always had one or two in his line of sight. They were toys at best, but this one had been the toughest catch and was finally coming around, so it surprised Dwayne when his brother turned a cold shoulder to the woman.

He watched him waltz back in through the doors and gave him a strange look. "What was that all about, brother? You've been trying to get between those legs for a while now."

Paul leaned against the machine Dwayne was using and he simply shrugged.

"Can't keep expecting people to chase you if you aren't gonna offer a little bite," he said offhandedly. Bobbie Nicky was never going to be anything serious, just another conquest, albeit one of the tougher ones. Never the less, Paul's focus was clearly elsewhere.

"C'mon, man, you oughta know how badly the girls wanted us," Paul said as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and crossed his ankles. "They wouldn't have come back if they didn't, and unlike Bobbie Nicky, they aren't total cock teases."

The gleam in Dwayne's eyes brightened as he smiled for the first time that night in finding that his suspicion was right. The petite blonde had somehow broadened Paul's appetite and now he was hungrier for her than anything else with tits and two legs. This time it went beyond a good lay and blood that much was evident, but it was the first time Dwayne had ever seen it take hold in his younger brother.

"Marie's just along for the ride," he simply said, turning back to the video game to find his man had been eaten by the ghosts.

"Son of a bitch," he cursed and hit the side of the machine before stepping away from it. "Anyway, she'd do anything to protect that little blonde. It's got nothin' to do with me."

Although he wanted the exact opposite, he doubted the wolf craved him like he craved her. In a way he was almost embarrassed after all the werewolves he'd killed in his day. Thankfully, David hadn't said anything about it to make him feel ashamed.

"Why don't you go after her?" One brow rose as he questioned Paul before casually pointing towards the outside of the arcade where one mystic girl stood. She had her back towards them and was looking out to sea… "Like magnets," he said before patting his brother on the shoulder and stepping away.

Paul rubbed his chin like a mad scientist scheming on some diabolical plan. He reached back and patted Dwayne's arm before the Native American completely slipped away. In the back of his mind he made a mental note to somehow convince Marie to give Dwayne a chance. In the meantime, his main goal was clear.

"Let's get these magnets to connect," the blonde vampire enthusiastically said to himself before taking off.

* * *

One tequila sunrise accompanied by a new drink called a Blue Moon, and Jenn feeling pretty relaxed after the blindsided encounter with the vampires earlier that night. In fact, as she walked beside her friend, gazing yet again at the stars, she sighed with thoughtful happiness.

"What will our next adventure be in comparison to this one?" she asked. "Anywhere else now seems a little bland, unless we get to find Narnia."

She giggled and skipped forward, leaving Marie a ways behind before stopping. "This place makes me feel, I don't know… Do you feel it? You suppose there is some kind of atmosphere that surrounds Santa Carla, calling to all the orphans and runaways? There is magic here. You think maybe our editor sent us here for that very reason? I mean we were looking for a story to write. This one, it would be big time! IF people believed us."

Marie's eyes danced as she found Jenn's good mood entertaining. She had forgotten all about work until the mention of their editor was brought up. Within the next day or so, they would call him and let him know how they were doing, and that they didn't become the next victims of the murder capital of the world. It was a relief coming out of the bar. The combined smells of beer, sweat, and food didn't exactly bring out the best scents to forcibly inhale. Surveying her surroundings, she saw that while it was still quite dark out, there were plenty of people enjoying the night. The pier wasn't as congested as the boardwalk itself, so it was quite pleasant.

"There's Luna Bay, or San Cazador," Marie mentioned, recalling the different signs they'd seen along the roads leading to Santa Carla. "More cities by the beaches we could check out."

For some reason, though, the thought of leaving no longer seemed urgent. It was madness, considering how she felt when Jenn first announced that she wanted to go back to the boardwalk after what the fanged bikers put them through in the beginning.

She abruptly stopped and bit down on her lower lip. She stole a glance over her shoulder back at the bar. Damn! Those tequila shots and nacho chips were working their magic on her.

"I gotta pee," she blurted out before proceeding to walk backwards. "Don't go too far without me!"

Jenn gave Marie an incredulous look and shrugged her shoulders. Sure the bathroom was a priority for humans and werewolves alike, but why now when there were more important things to discover?

She contemplated the other beaches as she meandered, not paying attention to the fact that her crooked path was taking her further away from Marie, but none of them held the attraction like Santa Carla. It, like the vampire, had dug its way into her being, bringing about a certain mysticism that couldn't be denied, and was now dragging her through the sand back towards the boardwalk arcade.

The pull was heavy and clouded her mind, misguiding her usual clear judgment, and she sang as she wandered, stopping once to take off her shoes. The soft, warm grit between her toes felt amazing. She twirled and danced, passing a few low burning fires, taking the time to inhale the earthy smoke from the wood tinted with marshmallows.

 _Marie!_ she called back to her friend mentally, at last remembering a tidbit of sanity _. I'm headed towards the arcade. I'll wait for you to go inside_.

She twisted, almost bowing to the late night spectacles and skipped ahead, smiling wide as the stairs loomed before her. They would make or break the night, but once her toes felt the sand covered cement there was no stopping. She tread with caution, holding the rail until she came to the large entrance.

It was there she paused to reconsider her options and decided to wait for Marie. Turning her back to the many games blaring on the inside, she let her gaze settle on the dark horizon to watch the white waves crash along the shore. The murder capital really was a sick, twisted thing of beauty.

"It's not so bad over here, right?"

Paul's voice spoke from behind, but instead he was found standing right next to Jenn but at an arm's length. Having spotted her from inside the arcade, he made sure to mask his presence until he chose to reveal himself. It was tricky, seeing as how even at this end of the boardwalk, there were still a number of people out and about under the night skies.

He wasn't looking at her as he used a toothpick he snagged from one of the food shops earlier to pick at his fangs. He could have sworn he felt a stringy piece of flesh from his hunt earlier. Even with such a casual stance he took, he still exuded the aura of an assertive guy who knew how to handle anyone and anything.

"Where's your other half?" Paul asked as he used his tongue to assist the toothpick with the task at hand.

Jenn felt a warm shiver slide all the way from her head to her toes as soon as she heard his voice. Her brain had already memorized the unique sound of it like a favorite rock & roll song and she tensed for half a second before the booze in her blood forced her to relax again.

"Was hoping you'd be here," she said, now that there were no locks on what words came zipping through her lips. She glanced at him sideways and gripped the rail a bit tighter, unable to hide the radiating smile that had spread across her face. "Marie had to use the bathroom. I sort of left her. She's probably going to be upset with me."

Something of a satisfied and dreamy sigh escaped her. "Liquid courage is amazing stuff. I mean why should I be ashamed to be here? Why should I be ashamed to look for you?"

"Not gonna judge you for that," Paul replied as he turned his head just enough to catch a glimpse of her gorgeous face, those intense eyes, that sweet smile, and no regrets for ditching her friend. There was a blush on her cheeks, and he could have sworn he saw a slight shudder of anticipation that moved across her warm flesh. The Lost Boy didn't need to dip into her mind to know that she wasn't displeased with talking to him.

It was almost hard to believe that he had Bobbie Nicky practically begging for his attention, a girl he'd been on-again-off-again chasing for months, but ultimately tossed her aside so he could spend time with the girl in front of him. She wasn't throwing herself at him but had enough confidence in how she appeared and acted. Her attitude was refreshing from the usual mill of girls he and his brothers went through. Wanting her in just the short amount of time they'd spent together was a new kind of torture for the likes of him.

The toothpick, along with the meat that was stuck between Paul's fangs, went sailing over the rail and into the sand. That was when the vampire turned to Jenn and leaned against the rail.

"What do you think is gonna happen tonight?" he asked her straight up.

Again his question brought on a shiver and she actually shook, unable to keep it undercover. "You smell different tonight," she noted at random, trying to regain her control, while realizing the downside of drinking. Anything and everything on her mind was an open book. There was no hiding, but fact of the matter was, he smelled like a predator.

She turned more towards him and cleared her throat, pointing out the spot of blood he still had on his neck. "I think you missed a spot."

Her body danced a little as her eyes fell away, only to look back up at him, and this time catch his eyes. The fact that he had probably killed someone and feasted on their blood did little to sway her. In fact, a morbid curiosity took hold and she reached out to touch it, disobeying the rules of personal space.

"To answer your question, I'm just not sure. I do know one thing, though. I don't think you'll be drinking me in tonight."

Her fingertip smeared the blood across his neck and she couldn't resist teasing the dagger that hung from his ear. "Actually, I thought for sure you'd be hanging on some other hot chick by now. I mean, isn't that what you do?"

She was smiling as she pulled away, flicking him shit on purpose. "We're a dime a dozen don't you know?" _And I'm a little jaded_ , was what she wanted to finish with, but left it at that.

It was becoming difficult to combat the compulsion to grab her and take her back to the cave. Her being so close and touching him was threatening to drive him bat shit crazy. Humans weren't supposed to be doing that to him. He should have been going wild on her blood, not her company, but that was exactly what he wanted. Hell, he wanted the whole package.

"Shouldn't talk down on yourself like that," he suggested, half teasing. "Come on, you can't compare yourself to the other girls. They got nothing on you! And I'm not just talking about the blood. The way you stood up to me and the others, and how you held your own against Max? That takes balls, missy, and you got a big set of 'em."

She laughed, openly amused by his compliment and grabbed her breasts, pushing them up. "I'd rather these were that big pair you're referring to." She kept laughing and then let them go. "But I know how guys work. Trust me. I've been attracted to a few rock stars. They like me, and then they get bored, for whatever reason. I don't know if I could bare that happening with you."

Realizing her conversation was turning to more serious meanings, she turned away and covered her face with her hands. What the hell was she saying?

Recovering quickly, she turned back around just as straight up and down as she had been before. It was as if she had never implied their possibility of hooking up. "Anyways, Max didn't seem that bad. He made you let us go." Her smile turned mischievous. "It's a good thing to. I mean, who knows what I would have done there in that cave, wreaking havoc out of anger. And yet here I am now, hoping you'll tell me what you think might happen tonight."

Paul chuckled over her words while trying not to reveal any visible signs of bewilderment. He had to look on the positive side of the situation: this was progress. Jenn was acting more playful and none of it was forced. Maybe the alcohol was a contributing factor behind it, but booze was also known to bring out the truth. He could never claim to know what it was like to be dumped, because he never involved himself in a relationship that went anything beyond meaningful, just a quick screw. He sure as hell never uttered the "L" word to any girl, and it wasn't going to start now with the first one to show him any real challenge. He couldn't help but struggle a little against this attachment he had developed for her. It was intriguing but at the same time pissed him off.

He rested a hand on the rail and started drumming his fingers on it. "Wanna go for a spin on my bike?" he offered while nodding his head to music only he could hear. "We won't go far, totally promise. No tricks or anything like that. We can just go up and down the street next to the boardwalk."

 _Boring, boring, BORING_ , he thought, but he was trying real hard to not chase her off again. If anything, he wanted to take her flying across the sand dunes and rip through the nearby forest, to show her that speed was the name of the game and how much fun they could have with it. But all that required baby steps, agonizingly slow baby steps.

"Up and down the street next to the boardwalk?" Jenn scoffed. "How slow do you really think I am? Just because I don't want to be caged against my will doesn't mean I don't like to go wild when the mood is right."

Her brows shot straight up to prove her point and then she tagged him by reaching in and patting his chest before she pushed away from the rail. Hoping he'd give chase, she hurried away towards the point of entrance where she knew his bike sat.

Marie was going to kill her, but she hadn't come back from the bathroom yet, and if anything it was the perfect opportunity for her to bump into Dwayne. There was no hiding the fact that she liked him and he liked her, even if they both denied it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note:** Happy 30th anniversary for _The Lost Boys_ movie! Be prepared for a nice steamy scene between Paul and Jenn but without it going into the M rated category. We still wish to keep the T rating so that everyone may find our story without having to use filters. Once the chapters take on a more adult nature, we will be posting the edited versions here while the full blown M rated ones will be posted on our Archive of Our Own account.

* * *

The lines for the ladies' public restrooms were astronomically long, crammed with tourists and junkies trying to get quick hits in on the counter tops right in front of everyone. Fed up with having to wait, along with her bladder ready to rupture, Marie snuck into the nearest men's restroom to get her business done. She encountered no line there and relief was spelled out in mere minutes. She ignored the looks she received upon exiting, because now the main task was at hand; finding her friend, who claimed she would meet up with her at or around the arcade.

"I should have known this was going to happen," Marie grumbled as she marched over to the large building that housed the boardwalk's extravagant games. The pier was behind her, but along the way, she found no trace of Jenn, despite what she was told when she announced she had to use the bathroom.

Even with the gradually thinning crowds, Marie continued to search the surrounding area during her walk. Her eyesight and sense of smell was sharp, especially during a full moon, so hunting down Jenn shouldn't have been a problem.

 _If only she WAS in the area,_ she thought as she stopped in front of the doors to the arcade. She could hear the loud electronic sounds of the video games, along with the wild shrieks of children and teenagers enjoying themselves. Stepping inside was going to be hell on her ears, but if Jenn was in there, she wasn't going to find out standing out on the main strip.

"They took off," said a strong voice behind her.

Dwayne was sitting askew on the railing just outside the craziness, taking a time out to smoke a cigarette when he saw Marie approach. His face remained stoic but inside he was laughing at the way things had played out. Max had been right about the girls and their curiosity, but he had a feeling Marie was going to be a harder nut to crack.

"Going for a ride," he informed her eloquently before inhaling from the cancer stick, only to let the smoke drift lazily out from between his lips. He worked it into the form of a few circles before crooking his finger at her.

"C'mere, little wolf," he enticed, letting his eyes caress her body with no care to hide the fact. Her revolting eyes threatened from afar, but he knew her resistance was futile.

A few younger girls passed between them, ogling the older male vampire with whispers and giggles. One even stopped to ask him for a smoke, which he kindly refused, telling her the one he had was the last, before he looked past them toward Marie once more.

Granted he didn't have the following that Paul had, but for different reasons as his persona often scared most of the ladies away.

Marie's face was flushed over how easily she had overlooked Dwayne sitting there. She was so focused on trying to find Jenn that she hadn't noticed him until he spoke. What the hell kind of werewolf was she? To be so attentive but at the same time miss the obvious enemy right in plain sight?

 _Alright, so maybe 'enemy' is a strong word,_ she argued mentally as the girls offered a momentary break in whatever conversation she was supposed to strike with Dwayne. She hadn't planned on talking to him, let alone see him one-on-one, but hardly anything ever happened the way she wanted it to. She looked away, pretending to be interested in the bowling alley just across the street. It also gave her time to think about the information provided to her.

She didn't have to rattle her brain to know whom "they" consisted of. She wasn't surprised. It was becoming more and more inevitable that Paul and Jenn were forming some kind of closeness. Perhaps this was fate working its way into their lives.

She scuffed the bottom of her shoes against the sidewalk, wondering how much longer it would be until Jenn decided she wanted to stay there for good. She waited until the girls went on their way before speaking to Dwayne, all the while continuing to look out across the street.

"Do you really think you guys can handle having a human like Jenn in your group? A girl whose blood you'd love to snack on, knowing you can't kill her?"

Dwayne could tell the girl was kicking herself for letting her guard down. It was written all over her face and it caused a bit of frustration, especially after he called to her. There was no doubt in his mind she was unusual and that was one of the things he found alluring about her not only as a werewolf but also as another being. He had never heard of a creature like her so intent on protecting a human before, though doubtless he had never cared to figure out the ways of a werewolf. Now he was curious and he could smell her sweet perfume as if she were standing right up against him. That alone assured him that whatever differences they had could be looked past if she was willing.

"Why does it have to be about her right now?" he asked without trying to impose an air of rudeness. "I thought this was about you?" He turned his attention away to tap his cigarette over the rail onto the sand. "If we were that powerless against the blood lust, all these people you see here around us would be dead already." The smoke was placed against his lips and he inhaled long and slow, content to enjoy the moment. It also helped that his stomach was full, but that was beyond the point he was trying to make. "I appreciate that she's important to you. You might not think so, but loyalty is hard to come by. Still, I had my mind on you just now. Not her. I left that to Paul and he's not going to maul her, not without permission. Trust me. He might be wild and high as a kite but he knows the rules. Plus, he likes her."

Marie's cheeks were burning bright red. On one hand, she found Dwayne's words about Jenn somewhat comforting, but on the other, he admitted he was thinking about her. It was an alien concept, a male outside of her pack, let alone outside of her species, showing interest. The male wolves she dealt with only ever saw her as a potential mate for starting a family. Romance was an afterthought. Not that she could see herself having children with a vampire, since it was biologically impossible, but the painful memories of being discarded by the others, because she couldn't give them what they wanted, were still there.

"Damn, alright, then!" Marie exclaimed as she spun around and fixed Dwayne with a hard, impenetrable gaze. She walked right over to him as the red disappeared from her face, where she gracefully hopped up so that she was sitting on the rail next to his taller form. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned toward him, scrutinizing the noticeable wolf fangs on the necklace he wore.

"Hmmm," she hummed, pressing her glossy pink lips together before sitting up straight. With an air of confidence swirling around her, she said, "I'm that unforgettable, am I? I ought to be flattered, I guess, so thank you. You…"

Once again the colors on her cheeks flared and she grunted in frustration, due to her emotions being so visible, but she refused to look away this time. "You aren't so bad for a vampire," she acknowledged. "I wouldn't mind getting to know you better."

Dwayne was a little shocked when she jumped from one moral to another, but he didn't take his eyes off her as she moved in closer. He could feel the tension between them in that hard stare, neither one backing down. It was the kind of look one gave before a passionate kiss, even though his thoughtful brown eyes looked sterner than anything, and when she sat down, he followed her eyes. There was a brief nod before he explained about the wolf fangs, "Nature of the beast. We protect what's ours. I like to wear a part of my life, even if it's an unnatural life and taking out threats is one of them. I won't apologize for that."

He turned towards her, but left the space open so as not to impose and smiled, running a soft thumb over one of her blushing cheeks. "There's room to grow. I'm always up for learning new things, like taking the time to get to know someone like you."

He laughed. "Don't get used to it though. I'm not into sonnets and poems, but I do read a little on occasion." Then he offered her the cigarette he'd been smoking. "The only problem is, I know what I smell like to you. Usually it's mutual, but you stink real pretty, Marie." He winked.

Marie brought a hand up to tuck some of her colorfully dyed hair behind one of her ears. She had to admit his touch was welcoming, as it had been when he helped her with the headache the other night.

"Well… for smelling like a rotting corpse, you don't smell AS bad as the others," she managed to say, before ultimately bringing up a fist to try and cover her laughter. It didn't work, and her whole body shook as she laughed. She couldn't believe it. She was actually starting to have a decent time with an undead creature, while managing to take the cigarette he offered, allowing herself a couple of quick puffs. Her lungs were strong enough to smoke a whole box of cigars if she wanted, but smoking was simply not a habit she had ever picked up. However, it did help as a stress reliever during rough patches. Tonight wasn't bad, and the positive vibes she had had when she first arrived were gradually returning.

After handing the cigarette back, she decided to fire off a handful of random questions like, what Dwayne craved to eat besides blood, what he liked to read, what music he enjoyed listening to, and so forth. Unlike the prospective mates her pack leaders tried to force her to choose and get to know, she was enjoying the process of getting to know this particular male. He was giving her space and allowing her the freedom to speak. She wasn't used to this treatment, but she obviously wasn't opposed to it either.

Dwayne implied that he loved steak, considering that was the meal he had brought her in the cave, not just because she was wolf, but he also enjoyed a greasy cheeseburger and fries on occasion. Pizza wasn't his top favorite but if it had enough meat on it, he was game. Basically he WAS a meat eater all around, especially if it was paired with glass of red wine on a good night. He told her Deep Purple was one of his favorite bands and old tales like, _To Kill A Mocking Bird_ , were his favorite books to read.

It was a pleasant surprise, getting some private time with her, even with the throngs of people on the boardwalk, it felt as if they were alone. Not only that but she could have gone at any time. There were no restraints holding her and no cave walls, and with as many questions as she had for him, he returned the amount, eager to know what made her tick.

"Your turn," he grinned, not bothering to fix the long strands of hair that fell out of place, nearly covering his eyes as they conversed. "What wets your appetite? What makes you dance?"

Marie was almost breathless when it came to answering Dwayne. She forgot the world around her because she was absorbed in learning about the vampire before her. She couldn't believe how normal he was, considering his true nature. Even before she knew this side of him, just entering the old hotel and seeing what was inside told her that they weren't your average blood drinkers who stalked about at night. Dwayne, and no doubt the others, had rich personalities that made them individuals, while at the same time made them a good fit for one another.

She found herself scooting just a little closer to him as she chose to respond to the questions she originally offered him. She was a meat and potatoes kind of gal who disliked fruits and vegetables in general. She enjoyed reading mystery and true crime novels, and she liked listening to all sorts of music that their current decade had to offer. Going by the style of clothing she wore, she heavily preferred a hybrid style of rock and pop.

"You can say I'm a little passionate about the things I love and often I'm emotional," Marie snickered, knowing the boys were already well aware of that, seeing as how she reacted to them in the beginning, "but when you're a moon girl like me who is also a werewolf, it's inevitable. I'm drawn to the moon and the tides, and going by this town's location? This wouldn't be a bad spot to hang out." She paused thoughtfully before adding, "Considering if you're human or not."

Without even realizing it, she reached over and gently brushed aside those loose bits of hair across his forehead with her fingertips. She shuddered, as his skin was cold to the touch. It was a different sensation compared to when he gave her that massage. She was in pain then, so she had no idea how different their temperature was from one another. Being a wolf, her skin was undoubtedly warmer compared to a human's.

"I'd say more than a little passionate," he chuckled, reveling in the way she fixed his messy locks. Still, he kept his distance, without hindering her, as she kept getting closer, even though it was all he could do to keep from touching her again. He could feel the heat from her skin and it reminded him of what the sun felt like on his as a human. "And there's definitely nothing wrong with being connected to the moon. I like to think I kept some of my culture after I turned, so I feel where you're coming from. David thinks it's a lot of bullshit, but he never has a good argument when something I do works out for the better."

He laughed. "Living forever, you got to have something going for you. Otherwise I hear you get bored and go into the ground if you're one of us. I don't want to be one of those. I like to think I'll always be watching that big thing in the night sky. I'll always have it watching over me as I ride. You've got good taste, though. My kind of woman."

Finally he couldn't resist reaching over to take the same hand that had fixed his hair, and he placed it so that they were palm to palm in the air. "Must be real cold for you."

For half a second he seemed disgusted that she actually shivered because of it, like it was a turn off. "It's better after we eat. As for the humans here... we don't kill everyone we meet. Just depends on what day of the week it is and what we're in the mood for." He grinned again and let her hand down, skimming the tops of her fingers with his. "There's a good band playing tomorrow night. It's a cover band for Aerosmith, but I hear they sound a lot alike. That something you'd be interested in? You could bring Jenn along. I'm sure she wouldn't care about hanging out with my brother more."

Marie was sure the tips of her ears were burning at this point, as she was a mixture of shy, embarrassed, and happy. Meanwhile Dwayne was confident, cool, cultured, handsome, and had great taste in just about everything. She couldn't believe how well this was all turning out! Was the moon playing tricks on her? Was it a dream? If it was either of these factors, she decided she might as well make it worth her while.

Taking Dwayne's wrist, she used her enhanced strength to pull him close, where she landed a kiss upon his lips. It was a quick gesture with no tongue involved, but it was enough to make her entire body tingle with excitement, despite the cool contrast of his flesh. She also realized that his smell no longer bothered her.

She broke the kiss, ignoring her inner protest of wanting more, and released her hold over him before hopping down off the rail. Her colorful strands of hair fell across her shoulders, as she turned sideways to look up at him, grinning proudly while doing so.

"Tomorrow night it is," she agreed, "but only if your buddy, Paul, returns Jenn safe and sound. We'll meet you guys here in front of the arcade. We have a deal?"

Dwayne licked his lips. It was a sensuous gesture to compliment the unexpected kiss he had just received, but also to savor the taste of her lingering on his mouth; one thing he never expected to have the pleasure of and unlike the myths, there was nothing sour about it. She was sweeter than any candy confection he could think of and the sensation sent urgent needs to places inappropriate to display in public, vampire or not.

"I can't guarantee when he'll bring her back, but I can promise you that she'll be just fine." He adjusted his seat, uncomfortable now as it was and got off the rail. "One other thing I should mention before you go. There's another group here. They think they own the boardwalk. Be careful."

He slipped a hand upside her cheek and pushed her hair back, reaching in to give her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow night."

"S-See you then," she whispered, worried that he could somehow hear how annoyingly loud her heart was beating inside her chest. She took note of this other group he warned her about, but the main issue that weighed heavily on her mind was how much of an impression he left upon her. After tonight (or at least in that moment) she decided to hell with what history said about the whole vampire-werewolf relationship. She was fond of Dwayne as a person and she wanted to spend more time with him. She also trusted him when he said that Jenn would be fine.

The song "Walking on Sunshine" played from the boardwalk speakers as Marie waved good-bye to Dwayne before walking off, deciding to enjoy the rest of the night without worry.

Dwayne rolled his eyes due to the music, but he didn't hesitate to watch Marie's backside as she walked away. He didn't even notice that David and Marko had made their way out of the arcade and were standing next to him watching the same thing before she disappeared into the crowd.

Naturally, Marko couldn't contain his broad grin as he stood with his hands on his hips like he was up to no good, but he said nothing even when Dwayne finally turned towards them.

"What?" the dark haired vampire asked, frowning.

Marko shook his head, chortling behind closed lips.

"She looks happy," David told him, glancing back in Marie's direction once again even though she was long gone. "You put a skip in her step."

"Just asked her to come listen to some music tomorrow night, her friend and Paul included."

"Good." David reached out and patted Dwayne on the shoulder. "It's faster progress than I expected.

"This isn't a game to me," Dwayne's words were careful, quiet, but still fact on his part. He didn't want to piss David off but at the same time, he didn't want his brother to think that it was all an act. Too often it seemed David took after Max in that fashion, playing head games while pretending to be the civilized citizen. "I like her."

"I didn't mean it that way, Dwayne, and you know it." David almost sounded half offended. "I still think you should play it cool though. I'd hate to have Paul turn into a mess if they decide not to stay. Same goes for you, older or not. This could be one way to prove to Max that we don't need a guardian constantly watching over our shoulders. We're too damn old for that."

"Either way, I'm not playing her. She's not a pawn in our game. I'm not going after anyone just to prove I'm man enough as vampire to watch my own shit," Dwayne confirmed.

Marko scoffed, dipping his chin to hide it behind a gloved hand. Old was an understatement considering their physical conditions, but even in his short human years for awhile he had gone without the parental units and he liked to think he had a mind of his own. Constantly catering to Max got real old real fast, but the last thing on his mind was hooking up with some chick to prove he was stable as a vampire fledgling. At the same time he knew it wasn't just that drawing his brothers to these girls. Their feelings were real and it scared him a little. The four of them had ruled the night side by side. He only hoped that the possibility of having significant others wouldn't change that.

"How bout we head to the bar? See how many shots it takes to drink the bartender under," he laughed. "Cuz you know Paul'll be out for some time."

* * *

The moment Jenn sat down and wrapped her arms around Paul there had been nothing but speed and for two hours, they raced on the back of his bike through different parts of Santa Carla. He hadn't even warned her to hold on, just took off like a streak of lightning. Wild and reckless was the name of the game, but despite that Paul actually felt relaxed and at ease when he was on his motorcycle. There was something about having his body adapt to the speed in which he was going, faster than any regular vehicle, and he absolutely loved it.

He had shown Jenn a few of the hot spots Santa Carla had to offer: like West Cliff Drive, Seabright District, Cliff Drive Vista Point, and parts of downtown. He hadn't even planned on being a tour guide of sorts. It just happened to play out in his mind the second they took off.

People stared at them as they sped by, but Paul knew when to slow down in certain areas, knowing where the cops patrolled. The last thing he wanted was to get pulled over while riding on a major high that didn't involve weed for once. Occasionally, he took a chance by doing all sorts of tricks to show off a little, like the basic wheelie, hairpin turns, and crisscrossing between cars without clipping any of them.

Jenn had taken a pretty tight hold from behind at that point, and eventually her chin pressed against his shoulder so she could watch the way he maneuvered and see everything without her hair getting in the way. At one point, she had even managed to pull it back into a loose ponytail to keep it maintained.

At last the thunderous roar of the engine made its way into an otherwise quiet street where the Capitola motel was located. Paul pushed the throttle forward for more power like he was prepared to win the race of a lifetime. Only when they approached the digs did he start to slow down just a little. For the first time since their journey started, he looked over one of his shoulders at her. "Still hanging in there?" he teased, thrilled at the hell of a time he was having.

Now she was there, smiling and nodding without moving her chin away from his shoulder. She felt comfortable latching onto him that way, as if they'd known each other for a lot longer, and with the confirmation that she was all in one piece still, she snuck a kiss against the side of his neck.

"That was amazing," she whispered. "I've never ridden on a bike like this before. Do you believe me?" Her body hitched and she scooted closer to him, almost throwing her legs over his in order to really get up close and personal. "I do have a thing for riding other beasts..." She meant horses, but decided to keep that fact under wraps in that moment, seeing as the more gutter minded meaning fit better in their situation, and she wanted to test him.

"I bet you do," he replied with amusement followed by a wink. "Whatever floats your boat, girly."

He wasn't going to peek into her mind for any clarification, just because it was more fun to be surprised with whatever she was actually referring to, whenever she chose to tell him.

The bike eventually rolled in front of the main entrance of the motel, and that was when Paul switched off the engine and rested his feet on the ground. The kiss Jenn gave him on his neck was warm and it made his flesh tingle with excitement. Through the main entrance, a bored looking front desk clerk was seen watching a tiny portable television, but other than that, the lobby was empty.

"Brought you back safe and sound to the warden," Paul announced, playfully referring to Marie as Jenn's keeper.

Jenn's look was bleak as she turned to look at her temporary abode. The night had come and gone way too fast for her liking and the thought of getting off the bike, away from his everything made her body ache. He wasn't teasing her back as much as she had hoped, but maybe she was coming on too strong for someone who had basically given him the middle finger and walked away. Although in her defense, who wouldn't have wished for freedom under the circumstances? She realized then that these boys had a great way of turning things around. It wasn't just black and white; there was a lot of gray and definitely a lot of red in between.

"Hey. Marie is basically a sister to me. Don't be too hard on her. She cares and I'm lucky to have her. Not most can say they have someone who does care about their well being, you know? I bet your brothers feel that way about you, eh?" She took a breath and laid her chin back on his shoulder in thought. "But... if I tell you I'm sad this is over, will I seem desperate and needy?"

The craving to kiss him hard was taunting her to the point where she had to let her legs slip off the bike first. Once she was past that point, it got a little easier. "Never mind," she shrugged, but still smiled. "Hey, maybe we can hang out some time again soon?" Now the playful tease was back on. "Throw back a few beers? Smoke some weed? Kill a few people?" She laughed.

Paul swung one of his legs over as soon as she moved hers and he stood up from his bike. He even managed to throw down the kickstand as he turned to her and helped her off his bike. His arm rested comfortably around her waist as he held her up against him, allowing him to treasure her overall softness and warmth.

"Already crossed a couple of those things off the list for tonight," he informed her as he bent his head down so that the tip of his nose brushed against hers. "But hey, there's still a few hours left, so who knows?"

He chuckled before resting his forehead against hers and stared deep into her eyes. She had such an intoxicating essence about her, and her lips were just begging for attention. During the ride to Capitola, Paul had received a mental note from Dwayne about his progress with Marie, along with the info on the concert that was happening the following night.

"Wanna check out an Aerosmith cover band at the boardwalk with me?" Paul invited as he brought a hand up and played with a silky strand of her blonde hair.

"Aerosmith?" The band's name made her light up all over again, turning the somewhat tender moment between them into a hyper one, but without dancing too much, she placed her hands on his shoulders. "Are they good? They better be, considering..." She paused, taking note of the way he was looking at her and felt her knees almost give way as she started to melt. "Can't say no to good music, especially the rock and roll kind."

Suddenly she found herself tongue tied and the lump in her throat refused to go away as she looked back into his eyes, staring as if she had lost her mind, or rather found her way. "I can't wait," she finally whispered, nearly closing her eyes as she inhaled the sensuous, earthy musk of whatever cologne he might have been wearing. Or maybe he hadn't been wearing any at all, it didn't matter, she just knew that pushing her nose into the small of his neck and biting down to get a taste was a picture she couldn't get out of her mind.

In turn, the things Paul wanted to do to her right then and there were criminal and absolutely sinful. He couldn't rush it, but he knew that what was going on between them was great. This was the start they were meant to have all along, and he wasn't about to screw it up.

"Right on!" he said with a smile. Then suddenly he couldn't resist brushing his lips against hers, like she had when they were back in the cave a few nights ago, before stepping back from her. The distance left him cold (strange, considering he was a vampire), but he knew he had to get back to the others. As much free time as he was given, he couldn't be away from them for long. His loyalty was to them first and foremost, because without them, he would be nothing, probably even dead. Without this undead lifestyle, he wouldn't have met Jenn.

"Talk it out with Marie," he suggested as he climbed back on his bike and put up the kickstand. "I think you'll be surprised with what she says about tomorrow night's concert."

He turned on the engine but didn't take off right away. Instead, he was looking back at her, flashing his teeth at her, as if waiting for her to give him the final good night.

Was it a vampire thing abstaining the way he was? Maybe it was her blood, as potent as it could be and getting that close gave him a rush and a need to kill? She hoped that wasn't the case or how would they ever get past second base?

Her cheeks flushed and she grinned quite sheepishly as she realized she was in fact thinking about sex with him. The downright dirty kind, none of that soft-core porn, but his persistence in waiting was frustrating, yet at the same time refreshing. All the hot rock stars before, as sexy as they were, would have had their tongues down her throat and their fingers between her thighs by now. This was something way above the norm in terms of being wild and she dug it big time.

In fact, his smile alone made her hot and sticky. There was no hiding that flirtatious cue and she jumped at the opportunity by crashing into him. Her hands snaked around his neck, and she grabbed his luscious mane, imposing on him by pressing her lips against his.

In that moment a storm of excitement and desire surged through Paul and instantly he pulled her up onto his lap while still maintaining the balance of his bike, and at the same time deepening their kiss. She may have started it, but he was going to continue it. He grabbed her ass with both hands and groaned in delight. Up close, she smelled so clean, so full of life…all part of the magic blood that flowed through her veins beneath that velvet smooth skin.

His bulge was straining against the tight pants he wore. The smell of her arousal made his nostrils flare. It was almost as spell-binding as her blood. This was unlike any of the past encounters he had with other girls. None of what they did with him went anything beyond physical. Sheer lust was the only emotion on display for both parties back then. With Jenn, it was so much more. She was always on his mind now; he had been thinking about her even when draining the life out of an unfortunate mortal earlier in the night. She was sassy and unfiltered when it came to how she felt, courageous and energetic. She unleashed the energy in spades at the boardwalk when she spoke to him alone, and had already adjusted well to everything that happened since their rocky start.

Now the hunger-lust was growing rampant and he knew if he didn't stop, he was going to cause a scene right. Fucking hell, he wanted to taste her blood again and make her scream with pleasure.

With a grunt, he broke the kiss but maintained the hold over her ass. His lips only pulled back far enough so that when he spoke in a low whisper, they brushed against her mouth. "Wanna keep this going somewhere else? Or call it a night, because it'll give you something else to look forward to next time we're alone. Up to you, but I can already tell you what I want."

Panting heavily, she licked the taste of him from her lips and dabbed at his, even as he spoke, kissing him slow in between his words. She could feel his arousal and rocked against it in a massaging manner, letting her heart beat jump up a peg or two as if he was already inside her. It was hard to maintain control knowing they both desired each other in the heat of the moment, but she knew if they came together now, it might ruin the possibility of greater things the next time around. After all, sex was only sex and as amazing as it could be, it didn't mean much when all was said and done if you were still strangers.

"Fuck, I do. I really do," she moaned, rising against him. "But I should call it a night." Disappointment hit her the moment she finished that sentence and her body slouched, yet she couldn't pull away from his mouth. "Tomorrow night?"

If he was like all the others this would break the chain and she would know right away, as most were in it to win it like sex was some prize. If they didn't get what they wanted, another vagina with legs would come around. No big deal. However, Jenn had a feeling this was about more than sex. The instant connection between them had already been stitched together and it would take more than just a one time, no, to keep them apart.

Paul stroked her thighs, soaking in her heat with his cool fingers. Their lips played with one another for a few minutes longer, before ultimately, he chose to end it with an answer. "Tomorrow night, you got it," he agreed as he studied her face, noting how rosy her cheeks were from their heavy make-out session. They were a shade lighter compared to the hot pink mini skirt she wore that left enough to the imagination, left him craving more. She was worth the wait.

He somehow managed to untangle their limbs from his bike, and eventually they were standing together, still unable to resist touching. Even then, he wasn't sure what it was that made him view Jenn as something other than another victim. Not killing her upon sight was a sign, and leaving would fill him with a sense of longing, even if they were going to meet up tomorrow night. Whatever it was – destined fate or whatever the hell one called it – or just random luck, Paul was grateful he made it this far with her.

She thanked him for understanding, still lost in the clouds as they stood there, her arms reaching round his neck. Her fingertips barely touched at the nape of his neck underneath all that wild, blonde hair, and her smile was dreamy, almost shy, yet confident at the end as she kept gazing into his blue eyes. They reminded her of the sky on a perfect sunny day, radiant and full of life, and yet he drank human blood to live. How was that possible? The thought fascinated her, made her want to learn more about his kind, the truth of their existence, since they weren't always seeking blood like dark corpses. There were questions already lingering, almost begging her to keep him longer in order to talk, but she knew that would also lead to intimacy and ultimately sex. Regardless, she was happy he had decided to play with her in those last few moments. It solidified the fact that they were into each other.

At last, she reached up and kissed him on the cheek. The move seemed timid, something a quiet girl would do and even though she wasn't quiet, she had no intention of laying all her cards on the table just yet. "I'll see you tomorrow. I really can't wait. Good night, Paul."

Every fiber in her body was screaming not to let go as she let her arms slide down his chest and away, but she managed, walking backwards towards the doors in order to keep watching him.

Paul, of course, was all smiles and in good spirits even when she walked away. He knew he wouldn't have to wait long to reunite. Besides, he knew his brothers were waiting for him, and what a story he was going to tell them!

He climbed back on his bike and waited until Jenn started to slip through the motel doors. With a wave of his hand, the vampire sped off, flying down the street with his coattails flapping wildly behind him.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note:** Many thanks to Kate, J. Berry Smith, Edicts Galore, Camille, Felix1987, Chantal, and Guest for your reviews! You're all amazing for taking the time to read our story!

* * *

Considering she'd run off with Paul that night, it surprised Jenn when Marie appeared asleep as she snuck into their small room. From what he had said about Dwayne, it sounded like her friend had had a pretty good time. Still, she hoped she wouldn't be overly angry with her.

She slipped out of her clothes and into a long shirt and short bottoms, trying not to make a sound, knowing that Marie's hearing was impeccable, and then slipped into the bed next to her. A glowing grin still brightened her face as there was much to tell, and the urgency of it made her want to wake Marie and spill all the beans right then and there, but she refrained.

Sleeping would be hard, or so she thought until the early morning hours let the sun in through the cracks of the curtains. A new day lit up the earth, which meant a new night would fall fast bringing with it a band, music, parties on the boardwalk, and Paul!

Marie was still sleeping and for a second, Jenn wondered if she was all right. Her breathing was still peaceful, so she slipped out of bed, got dressed and exited quietly to grab breakfast for the both of them.

* * *

As soon as Jenn left the room and her footsteps faded, Marie opened her eyes. She hadn't been awake long, but when she knew that her friend had come back safe and sound, albeit late, she was able to sleep more peacefully in spite of the otherwise restless night.

Kicking off the blankets, she sat up in bed and rubbed the back of her neck. Her whole body was sore and part of her just wanted to go back to sleep, but she knew Jenn would be eager to tell her about her time spent with Paul when she returned.

A full moon's night was usually rough on a werewolf if they didn't release the energy stored inside them, so Marie had decided to venture away from the boardwalk that night after leaving Dwayne by the arcade. There was a small forest conveniently located just beyond the piers, and she decided to go there. Upon stepping through the grove of trees, making sure the coast was clear, Marie shifted into her wolf form and ran to her heart's content. She was a beast connected to nature with a moon that dictated how dangerous she could be if anyone dared to cross her. Yet she had to maintain self-control, due to the fact that she was in vampire territory. She had to respect them and that meant not hurting or killing anything that was considered theirs. Not that Marie was a man killer, but with the moon fueling her power to its absolute peak, someone who angered her could trigger her rage in an instant, causing her to do something she would regret.

Now, to occupy her time while waiting in a more subdued state, Marie searched for the remote control to the TV. She was grateful that they picked a motel where the TVs had remotes. Back home, she always seemed to be the one designated to get up and change the channel after getting perfectly cozy in her seat.

* * *

Jenn was still glowing by the time she returned, shoving the door open with a handful of goodies in a to-go carton, along with two coffees and a couple different juices. She gave her friend a knowing smile as she shimmied in and kicked the door closed behind her. "I wasn't sure what you'd be in the mood for, so I got us a couple breakfast burritos and bagels. Coffee, I figured, was a must."

She plucked one of the hot cups from the tray, along with a few sugars and small creams and offered them to Marie as she sat down near her on the bed, making it bounce a little on purpose but not enough to spill anything.

"I hope we're okay and that you're not mad at me. I couldn't help myself last night. I swear something happens when he's around. Almost like a silent call. It kinda scares me, but at the same time, holy crap, Marie, I'm loving it. So... he said you talked to Dwayne. Something about a band tonight? Please, please tell me we're going. I said we would."

She darted off the bed and grabbed the important things, the ones that would ultimately fill their stomachs, and then crashed beside her friend again, letting the napkins settle in a pile between them. The smell of bacon wafted through the wrapping.

Marie lowered the volume of the TV so that the music videos could continue playing in the background while they talked. Then with the palm of her hand, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before taking one of the coffee cups.

"It's fine, we're going," she muttered after welcoming the hot, rich taste of morning brew. Compared to how awake and animated Jenn was, Marie was lagging like she was suffering a hangover. She yawned loudly before taking another sip of coffee as if it was much needed medicine.

"Aerosmith cover band," she informed Jenn. "I said I would only go if Paul returned you safe and sound." She lifted a brow as she decided to try one of the breakfast burritos. "Sounds like you legitimately like him. How does he feel about you? Has he said anything?"

Scooting up against the headboard, Jenn lifted her knees up, huddling a bit as she unwrapped her food and dove in. Marie's lack luster knocked the wind out of her sails a bit and she chewed for a second in silence, watching one of the videos for a few seconds. The lead singer reminded her a lot of Paul, which brought her elation right back. It had to be a sign.

"He didn't really say anything like, 'hey I really like you.' It was more action than anything." Jenn nearly hugged herself as she said this thinking about the kisses and the touch and the heat, despite his cool skin. "I don't want to sound like one of those anxious little girls in love with her crush or anything, but hot damn Marie, we were this close," she pinched her fingers together, "and closer than that to, well you know, sex! But you know my track record with the wild guys isn't the greatest. I wanted to wait, at least until tonight." She smiled wide and stuck her tongue out at her friend, but then her joy faded a bit. "You're really not into Dwayne at all?"

Raking her fingers through her tangled mess of blue, purple, and pink hair, Marie shook her head.

"It's not that," she insisted as she sat up straighter and folded her legs together. The burrito wrapper was removed and she took a bite out of her food, munching thoughtfully, before swallowing. "I'll feel better tonight once we're out."

Despite that statement, the food helped her grogginess. The more she ate and the more coffee she drank, the more alert she became.

"Having your abilities tied to the moon can be both good and bad," Marie pointed out as she got up off the bed and tossed her empty cup and wrappers into the nearby garbage can. She didn't want to bore Jenn with telling her about her uneventful fight to retain her humanity, so she kept the focus of discussion on Paul.

"That guy does come off as someone who'd rather do stuff than talk. Not that it's a totally bad thing, depending on the situation. He'd be anything but boring."

The werewolf sat back down on the bed and stretched her legs out across the mattress. She didn't have particularly long limbs, but they were thick, thus suited for running long distances.

Leaning close, Marie took a piece of Jenn's hair between her fingers and asked, "Wanna dye the tips hot pink?"

"No!" Jenn grabbed her hair from Marie, feigning a frown, but then smiled playfully. "I like my hair the way it is," she shrugged. "But hey, I'm not trying to be insensitive. You come first. I forget sometimes about the other side of you, which I shouldn't and there's no excuse. If you need to talk about it, I'm all ears." She grabbed a napkin and swiped it across her mouth before sitting up real straight and attentive.

Marie could only stare curiously at Jenn before simply smiling. She probably played human a little too well if Jenn had forgotten about her wolf side.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Marie sat back against the headboard, almost shoulder to shoulder with the blonde. Staring at the TV screen but not really watching, she said, "I'm scared about tonight. It's been a while since my last relationship, and I'm trying not to think too far ahead. After what happened with my ex, I swore I was finished with guys." She paused and made a slight face. "To be fair, I've only ever been with wolves. I wish I could be anxious about seeing Dwayne tonight, like you are with Paul. Isn't that silly? A werewolf afraid of a date?"

Jenn laid her head on Marie's shoulder. "Not really. I don't know how it is with vampires but I know you, and you have feelings just like anybody else, doesn't matter what you are. I should probably be more leery myself instead of jumping right in considering what happened before. I mean what if we do something along the line down the road that's not even that big of deal and it makes them angry? What then? Do we fear for our lives? The four of them seem so tight knit, you know? Maybe David saw that in you and I." She shrugged and sighed. "But you know how I am, thinking everything happens for a reason. Dwayne isn't a small guy... vampire. I would be afraid of him, was... whatever, but he seems real kind when he's around you, um, speaking from a mental perspective."

She giggled and poked her friend. "I wasn't trying to pry I just wanted to make sure you were all right since I was the asshole who left you behind last night. But hey, if tonight you feel like this is still bad, we can leave town. I swear. I really don't want to, but you have to go with your gut." She jumped up and stood on the bed, smacking her hands together. "So! Tonight, I'm thinking short skirt, beaded belt, my sexy shirt that hangs over one shoulder, and lots of bracelets with boots. What do you think? Easy access." She danced, swaying her hips.

Marie was speechless, but she eventually buried her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook as she tried so hard not to laugh out loud. Typical Jenn: supportive as a sisterly best friend should be, who was also ready to rock some guy's world and have some fun. There was a lot Marie admired and envied about her, but she was forever indebted having someone like her on this strange adventure. Finally, she cleared her throat and lifted her head from her hands, beaming and no longer feeling sorry for her checkered love life. Whatever happened that night would happen, and one way or another, both girls' determination would make it a fun night. "Let's go shopping for that perfect outfit you just described and get ourselves ready for the concert."

* * *

The night brought on a carnival like atmosphere at the boardwalk and the crowd wasn't as thick due to the masses gathering together down by the bandstand awaiting the arrival of the musicians. The lights were bright in that area highlighting the stage and the surrounding area as a few unknowns tested the sound stage to make sure everything was on cue. It was a different group of young people, not the families who flooded the rides or the arcade, but the ones, a few of them runaways, all looking to have a good time, and old enough to consume whatever liquor or beer they chose.

"See," Jenn whispered to Marie, already feeling as if the night was theirs. "This is even better."

The smell of popcorn and cotton candy still lingered from the day, now laced with something darker, something more feral that turned with the waves and mixed with the ocean air. It reminded Jenn of the cave and she got the feeling that this was the scene the vampires preferred.

"Where do you think they'll be?" Jenn danced on her toes as she asked the question, unable to keep her youthful appearance from looking even younger as she scanned the lower crowd for their dates. Her eyes didn't get far as she felt a soft, yet oddly strong hand grab her by the wrist and pull her back. At first she thought it was Marie, but as she spun around, she realized an older woman, a free spirit more or less, or possibly a fortune teller, had slipped in between the two of them.

"I see only death for you two in the future," she stated, looking at neither one of them, but instead straightforward as if she were looking into a crystal ball. "If you stay. You must go. Go now! Before it's too late!"

Marie squealed and jumped back over the woman's surprise appearance. She'd been too busy admiring the music stage that she didn't even notice her until she started going on about death in the future. The werewolf brushed invisible dust from the top of her printed dress with its loud colors and patterns before she addressed the stranger.

"What do you expect when you're in the so-called 'murder capital of the world?' I'd take your threat more seriously if this town's motto was 'the happiest place on earth,' but since it's not, I can't say your warning is too impactful." She sighed dramatically, unable to believe how smug she sounded. Once again, she blamed the moon. Although it wasn't completely full like last night, it still granted her a lot of power and energy, along with some attitude. "C'mon, Jenn, let's go," Marie started to say as she turned away, only to bump into someone. "Whoops, sorry, I…"

She trailed off as the familiar but foul-smelling odor filled her nostrils even before she tilted her head up to see who it was. The person in front of her was wearing a tattered and sleeveless Ratt t-shirt, tight black pants, and frayed leather boots. Untamed blonde hair fell just past the shoulders and stunning blue eyes grazed over the two girls before revealing a toothy grin.

"What's shaking?" Paul greeted casually. "I know we were supposed to meet up at the arcade, but I got a lil' antsy, so I decided to walk around. Good thing I did!"

The woman and her forewarning vanished into thin air in Jenn's mind as soon as Paul appeared, even though she still had a grip on her wrist. She yanked it away without a second thought about the message and stepped forward. If someone's eyes really twinkled, Jenn's were dancing with stars. She was speechless as she looked Paul up and down and mindlessly licked her lips. "If this is the way I'm going to die, then so be it," she finally said to no one in particular while meeting Paul's gaze at last. "Holy shit..." There was no booze needed when it came to letting words fly. Her heart was beating so hard she could hear it in her ears. "I mean... where's Dwayne?"

There was no resistance, she had to touch him and took yet another few steps forward to place a hand on his chest, unsure if taking his hand was the right thing to do. _We're so going to rock this tonight,_ she thought.

Paul was thrilled to see Jenn along with her excitement to see him. It made the night worth the wait. "I ditched him," he said playfully, referring to Dwayne, as he eagerly eyed the petite blonde. "Can't be too far behind me."

He took a step back and upon taking Jenn's hand from his chest, he lifted her arm up and had her twirl around in front of him like a ballerina. He was certainly digging what he was seeing. His hand didn't seem as cold to the touch as it had the night before, and Jenn interlaced their fingers when she stopped and took something of a bow without lowering her head. She saw a darker man approaching wearing a scowl and realized it was Dwayne. He came up right behind them and hit Paul on the back of the shoulder.

"Wondered where the hell you went, shithead," he scolded before noticing Marie standing there off to the side. His facial expression change was immediate and he slipped past Jenn and Paul to give her a proper greeting. "Sorry about that, but he is a shithead," he told her. "No sense in hiding that truth from you ladies." He smiled and brushed over her shoulder with the tips of his fingers. "Glad you could make, Marie. You ready to let loose with us? I'll show you a good time, baby."

Without further ado, he swung an arm around her waist and lifted her up to his hips as if she weighed nothing at all. He dipped her fast and then let her go, grinning, almost laughing. "Most of the time here we gotta be serious because security is always barking at us, but on nights like these, we love to live it up our way."

Marie was both delighted and amused over Dwayne's affectionate greeting. She was somehow able to control herself when she'd been lifted up and her body touched his briefly. If Dwayne were a male wolf, this would have been a set up for the two of them to mate.

Her eyes grew wide in alarm when she realized what she was thinking about, and she burst out laughing rather loudly, so much for control. _Stupid hormones and stupid moon!_ she thought in a panic.

A few people nearby turned and shot her odd expressions, but she ignored them. She took Dwayne by the hand and started to walk him to the nearest set of steps that would take them to the beach. "C'mon, gang!" she announced without looking back.

Paul had tilted his head in response to Marie's unexpected outburst before he merely shrugged his shoulders. "She seems to be in a good mood night," he told Jenn before resting an arm comfortably around her shoulders. "Wanna go follow them? Or do you wanna spend some solo time with moi before the concert officially starts?"

Jenn was pursing her lips in awe at the way Marie jumped into it all of a sudden, especially after mouthing off to the old woman who had vanished as soon as Paul showed up-unless she was a creeper hiding in a corner somewhere watching. She shivered in response to that thought, but looked sideways at Paul. Their fingers were still locked together as if two halves made a whole, while his other arm kept her close.

"I say we get a drink and then wander off alone for awhile and let the chemistry fly. I mean between Dwayne and Marie. Well, you and I too, if that's what you want."

Her smile slowly grew as she remembered what he had said the night before. Of course she knew what he wanted, but keeping the flirt going was much more fun. "You know what's funny? We were watching music videos earlier, and this guy, the lead singer... you could be related. He was so fucking hot. Oh! But did you see that old woman? She just came up to us out of the blue and said she only saw death in our future. If this is the death I have in my future, I'm counting on it." She laughed and shouldered into him.

"She's kind of a regular," Paul explained as he took his time walking with her through the boardwalk, soaking in the lively atmosphere the place had to offer. "She's got a rundown shop in town but every other week we see her walking around here, trying to get people to pay attention to her. I actually haven't seen her since I first came around a few years back, and she told me the same thing: the whole 'you're-gonna-die' bit. I mean, she's not completely wrong since I am what I am!"

"So then technically I have nothing to worry about." Jenn swung his arm in front of her as they came to a booth selling beer and wine and a few other things for the night. It was almost a contradiction of sorts, assuming she was safe in the company of a vampire who had already had a taste of her powerful blood. Yet he seemed rather contained as they stood there waiting for a glass of something that wasn't red at all.

"What do I smell like?" she whispered off hand without looking away from the makeshift bartender.

Paul let go of her as he took to leaning against one of the booth's decorative walls that showed a mural of people surfing and building sand castles. He was still stoked over how Jenn compared him to a popular lead singer of a rock band. It wasn't the first time he got such a comparison, but having it come from her meant a lot.

He went along with playfully describing Jenn's smell while waiting for their order. He said if fresh and clean with a hint of sun could be captured in a bottle and sold on the market that would be her smell right there. He kept his attention solely on her, and whenever a couple of brave females would try to get his attention, he was aloof but quick with sending them off. He wasn't a complete asshole, but he made it known he was busy.

"I got my eyes on the prize," he told one of them with a wink, before shifting his focus back to his date.

This guy looked like he fit in with the scene of Santa Carla even more so than his friends as he stood against the mural giving Jenn the best description of smell she had received thus far in her life. However, she hadn't expected it, and maybe she should have been more specific, but asking him what her blood smelled like in public didn't sound like the greatest idea.

Jenn had to laugh at his response to the girls. Flattering wasn't even the right word. He made her feel like the ultimate fan had won the lead singer's attention at a rock show times ten. "I bet you have a handful of numbers in your wallet just in case, don't you? Probably a normal thing for you around here huh? All these girls and maybe even a few guys wanting a little something something. I bet it doesn't bode well for most in the end though does it? Have you ever kept any of them around for longer than one night?"

She realized she was asking a lot of questions, personal ones, but she couldn't help it. The draw to him made her curious and she really did want to know everything there was to know about him.

The guy behind the small bar placed two semi clear plastic cups down filled to the brim with beer and asked for five bucks.

Jenn pushed away from the wall and dug into her purse. She wasn't used to anyone paying her way, and didn't expect Paul to, but she certainly wasn't against buying his.

Paul picked up his cup and when the employee turned to face him, a casual but direct command was given.

"Drinks are on the house."

The guy slowly blinked and didn't do anything else for about a minute, but when Paul raised his cup to him like he was going to toast him, he just nodded and resumed his duties without another word.

Swirling the contents in his cup, Paul decided to entertain Jenn by answering the question about keeping company for longer than a night.

"Not really," he said in a straight-forward manner. "We have just about everything we need with each other. Inviting more people to hang out or do whatever isn't a great idea. Besides, they start asking questions and they get annoying super quick."

Jenn would already know she was excluded from what he was referring to. The lifestyle of the vampire was heavily centered on blood, as it was the basis for their survival.

Paul held out his cup to Jenn and cheerfully said, "Bottom's up!"

"Like all the questions I'm asking?" she snickered behind her cup before lifting it to take a large drink. The semi bitter, cold fizz hit her tongue and she found herself guzzling it in front of him. It helped to take the edge off and with little food in her stomach, the sedative feeling shot straight down to her knees, making her hum as she lowered the drink at last.

"That's pretty good for cheap beer. But you obviously don't have sex with each other," she continued, referring to his comment about the group having everything they needed through each other. "Or do you?" she teased. "Hey, if I talk too much you can tell me. I mean, it must be different, right? Since I already know what you are. And honestly, I'm fascinated by it. I suppose I should still be scared, but you haven't given me any reason to be. At least not yet, and I like your company." She laughed. "How cheesy does that sound?"

Paul drank down some of his beer while Jenn talked, firing questions off left and right. The beer was decent, but he wouldn't pay for it willingly. Still, he finished it in a couple gulps.

"You got a job with the paparazzi or something?" he asked jokingly as he sat his empty cup down on the counter, where the employee took it away almost instantly. "Wanna know the scoop about what I am, what I'm all about, and all that?"

He tilted his head from side to side, making his neck crack. Once he got that out of his system, he thought back to what she said about not being scared of him and that he hadn't given her a reason to be. Why did that bother him? Why should it bother him? He liked her, didn't he? She sure as hell **_really_** liked him. Frightening someone he liked and wanted to get to know better wasn't ideal, whether he was as vampire or not. When it came down to it, he was a killer who drank the blood of the living to survive. Apparently she was okay with this. Then again, she hadn't seen him take a life. Would she still be this way if and when that time came to see him exterminate one of her fellow humans? Luckily, his face didn't reflect any of his thoughts and the music constantly spinning in his head kept his mind heavily protected.

"You know the right company to keep," he said at last before leaning forward to his fingertips along her jaw. "You're doing alright by me, babe!"

"I'm actually a writer," she admitted, tilting her head just right against the tips of his fingers. "It's originally why we came here, Marie and I, to find a great story. But don't worry, I won't be writing this one down."

Deep down she knew she was being naive and open about her personal life, considering she was treating Paul more like Superman rather than a villain, but had she not asked him a few good personal questions?

"And I'm not with the paparazzi, unless you're famous? Then I might be." She laughed, quickly finished her beer and set the empty cup back on its stage. "But yeah. Isn't there a game we could play? A drinking game? You ask me a question I ask you a question? Or something like that? We could make it fun." She gave him a rather erotic, suggestive look. "Or we could go find the real booze, find a nice spot in the sand behind the stage, and get down and dirty."

There was a pause and then it hit her. "Wait a second... you totally got that guy to give us free beer didn't you?" She said it quiet yet with surprise so that no one around would hear them, not that it was an issue considering the music was already loud and the band hadn't even started yet.

Paul chortled over the way Jenn's personality shifted so easily: inquisitive, sassy, serious, sultry, and wonderment. There were so many dimensions to this girl, but as soon as she mentioned, "getting down and dirty," the thought of having to answer any more questions bored him.

Bending down so that his lips brushed against her ear, he said in a low voice, "I know a real good place where we can get some great drinks. We'll start off with those and if all goes good, we're gonna make our own kinda music."

She didn't need the chill in the air to give her skin prickles, because Paul did the job just fine as soon as his mouth graced her ear. She envisioned him taking it further, pulling at her earlobe with cool lips, drawing a line down the center of her neck, causing her to moan and shiver. The fantasy left her weightless and the lids of her eyes fell hypnotically closed. All she wanted to do in that moment was inhale an elixir that would leave her intoxicated with no room to think and all the ability to react. She felt like a teenage girl, hormones raging, but she wasn't anymore, and this went beyond need. Something about him had clicked, like a lock picked with the perfect key. All the questions swimming through her brain meant nothing in the scheme of things now. They were things she would learn, hopefully in time, unless giving in on this night meant emptiness the next, but it was a risk she was willing to take.

"Take me there?" It was more of a plea than a question. Her eyes remained closed for a few breaths before she opened them and turned towards him. "I need this. I need it so badly I can feel it in my veins."

She looked down, holding her arms and palms up like an addict awaiting the next dirty needle. The sharp prick of his fangs could take their place for all she cared, as long as she could have him.

No other words needed to be spoken. It was a done deal: signed, sealed, and delivered. Her sweet scented blood laced with raging pheromones and ultimate desire to be with him was intoxicating. It was potent enough to where it would have caught his attention all the way outside of Santa Carla. He was hooked. The sensation to be with just one person in more ways than one was a foreign concept, but one that he wasn't going to waste any time thinking over.

His hand clasped one of hers and their fingers laced together once more. He tugged her over to him, until her body touched his, and he swiftly kissed her on the mouth. While the gesture was brief, it left him burning for more of her touch. If he wasn't careful, he was going to quiver with anticipation.

He pulled them away from the booth and led them away from prying eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's note:** Major shout outs to AngelaAngieAng, Edicts Galore, Lyanna L, and Chantal for the sweet reviews!

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Considering Marie had hold of his hand, Dwayne didn't say a word as he followed, glancing once over his shoulder at Paul before the large crowd around the stage swallowed them. He knew his brother had other plans for the time being with the petite blonde and that suited him well, as he wished for some more alone time with Marie.

Once they were on their own, he asked, "Where are you taking me?"

Usually it was the other way around, but this change was nice, especially coming from someone like her, a wolf in human clothing. _My god,_ he thought, _she is beautiful._

There was no regret after either, as he eyed the jug heads around them who gave her hungry looks.

"Just need to get away," Marie replied without looking back. They weren't staying among the masses, instead they were moving through them until they broke through and were on their way to more open space. They weren't going too far from the stage, but more towards the coastline.

Eventually Marie released Dwayne's hand and rested her arms above her stomach where she stopped short of the waves rolling onto the sand. She hadn't taken her sandals off nor did she have any desire to, even though getting dirty was never an issue. What kind of werewolf would she be if she fussed over mere sand between her toes?

Standing beside the dark haired male, she searched the dark waters. In the distance, she could see a lone surfer paddling on their long board. She didn't want to stare at Dwayne and come off as desperate or needy. She had convinced herself she didn't need to be in another relationship, but here she was, possibly heading in that direction with a vampire of all things.

"You guys must have just about everything you need here," she said thoughtfully. "I can't imagine you guys ever having to relocate anywhere else."

"Some would disagree." Dwayne stepped up and took a casual seat in the sand, letting her have the more dominate stance in the situation so as not to come across as quite the predator. He wanted more than anything to make sure she knew they were now on equal ground and hopefully in time deeper trust would come.

He draped his arms over his knees as the slight breeze from the ocean swept his hair back in waves, while his leather jacket remained open in the front. "They say there could be danger here if we stay for too long because we never change. But you'd be surprised what humans don't see right in front of them. Either they're too scared to recognize it, or they like to live blind and pretend their world is perfect."

He turned an eye to her, slightly tilting his head, but she was looking out at the sea, trying to avoid the unavoidable. Her body language said it all. "We got off to a rough start, you and I, but I gotta tell you, I'm not in any hurry now, and you know we'll both bite when the feeling moves us. You just tell me when. Until then, you have my word. Come sit next to me. Enjoy this. I'd like to know more about you."

Nervous was an understatement for Marie, but she was also torn. Part of her, the wolf, wanted to maintain absolute self-control, because the other part of her, the woman, wanted to go completely unhinged with such an attentive and attractive male who willingly wanted to spend time with her. She needed to balance herself without coming off as insane or clingy.

 _You can do this,_ she told herself as she relaxed her arms and gradually lowered herself to the sand. She sat on her bottom with her knees bent and her legs splayed out to each side shaped like a W. She continued to look out at the water, only because she didn't want to openly admire Dwayne's beautifully sculpted jaw like an obsessive lunatic. He was simply that attractive and his voice unbelievably soothing.

Clearing her throat loudly in order to push those insane thoughts out of her head, she went on to talk more about herself, where she grew up, what TV shows and movies she liked, where she traveled, biggest pet peeves, and so forth. They were random facts she didn't mind sharing, none of them terribly exciting, but after all, he did ask to know more about her.

Sometime during her excessive talking, her eyes pulled away from the ocean and focused on Dwayne. She scooted closer to him until her shoulder was in danger of touching his. Whatever new information she offered wasn't forced, but more relaxed, more natural, more willing. Dwayne's eyes weren't so piercing in a way that would cut one into ribbons by looking at them, but they were deep and attentive, letting her know he was listening. She suspected that if he wasn't interested in what she said, he wouldn't bullshit around and waste any more time with her. Yet here he was, still sitting with her, still listening, still being a gentleman.

"Crazy, huh?" she asked, deciding to take a break from her random Q&A session. "This thing we're doing? Like we're getting along when most people who know of what we are expect us to be ripping each other apart."

"Yeah, it is." Dwayne's response was direct because it was the truth, but he shifted, pressing his weight into her shoulder for half a second while contemplating taking his tennis shoes off. Digging his already cold toes into the sand sounded like a good thing, a normal thing, which occasionally did cross the vampire's mind. He had lived an unnatural life for a long time but that didn't mean he couldn't remember all the luxuries that weren't necessarily important to a creature like him anymore.

"I honestly never thought I'd be sitting here with an enemy. It's almost like we're programmed from the start to hate your kind. Sometimes I wonder for what reason, you know? Being the warrior, I never questioned it. I just do my job as David asks. I suppose Max is a little different. He has a lot of ties and a lot of allies, minus one by the name of Widow Johnson, but it's just as important. It keeps us alive."

He bumped her shoulder again, urging her eyes to meet his, maybe for longer this time. "Do you like what you are now? You seem a little unsure sometimes, but behind that, behind that hesitation I see a powerful woman. I'm drawn to that."

Generally Marie would have blushed over such a compliment, but Dwayne was right when he mentioned how unsure she could be.

"I am what I am," she stated while maintaining steady eye contact with him. "I only know how to pretend to be human and stuff, but I am afraid of—"

She abruptly stopped herself and chuckled awkwardly, but it was filled with lingering regret. Heedlessly, she continued revealing her personal feelings about what it was like to have power. Her voice was as calm as could be, but the words she spoke next would be considered cold and calculating to a mere human who stood on the outside of the supernatural spectrum.

"I love having someone's fate in my hand. I almost slipped a couple of times. It should be scary to have this much power in my grasp, to turn into this monster with the potential to lose control."

Her eyes burned yellow and when she pulled her lips back, she exposed rows of brutal canines. She was within seconds of transforming… but then stopped herself. She remembered where she was, but she still did not look away. She was shaking badly as she willed her features to turn back to normal.

"Dwayne!" she whispered harshly, almost fearfully, as she started to reach out and touch his face. "Are you sure this is what you want to get close to?"

Now the girl, the wolf was opening up, letting her guard down a bit to expose those raw animalistic feelings, yet was still apprehensive. It tickled him to the bone. He threw his head back away from her touch and let out raucous laughter. When he lowered his head, his face had also changed. Gone were the soft, brown eyes, replaced by burning demon's orbs, and his lips peeled back to reveal his own set of deadly fangs.

"Baby, I _LIVE_ for the kill, and I don't regret a damn thing."

It was as if she had forgotten who she was with: a tried and true killer that had no other choice but to break open a man's flesh with his bare hands and teeth, and drink the blood that gave him life. It was either that or whither away and die, and he wasn't ashamed of that fact.

"I am what I am and I love every minute of it."

The atmosphere that settled around them in this state turned him on. It was primal and it drew out the hunger. He shoved her down into the sand and crawled over the top of her like a beast. His hands settled beside her shoulders and he moved his knee between her legs, rubbing one of her inner thighs. Yet careful not to take it too far, he shook his untamed, dark mane, letting his face revert to that of its human disguise and stared into her eyes.

"Why wouldn't I want to get close?" he asked, his voice a little more reserved.

She was trembling and breathing heavily. She thought she was afraid of him, of his malicious nature. The more she thought about it, the more she realized it wasn't fear that made her shake. It was excitement. It was joy and relief, knowing that somehow, some way, she wouldn't have to keep herself in check around him. He was able to cut loose and he loved it. Why couldn't she do the same with him? She wasn't human. She didn't have to follow the rules of human society, and she was free from her pack, the ones who had been firm when making sure they all fit in with the mortals they encountered on a daily basis. Being a lone wolf was always seen as a negative implication in pack wolves' eyes, because they were known to be unruly. They were rule breakers who only listened to whomever they chose to align themselves with.

Leaving her home with Jenn, living a life away from their limitations, hanging out with vampires – if that was the lone wolf's way of life, Marie decided she SHOULD embrace it. There was nobody to tell her what she could or couldn't do other than her inner wolf. The years of listening to the pack, even when she was physically away from them, were finished.

She instantly sat up, cupped the side of Dwayne's face, and kissed him. Unlike the first time, which was quick and innocent, this kiss was deep and filled with desire. She welcomed the moon's influence over her as her body ached for some sense of release.

He was still over her knees when she kissed him, making sure she wouldn't get too far away as he thrust his tongue into her mouth, letting it linger over hers once her sweet taste had filled him. The objective wasn't to swallow her whole, but he did grab her lower lip and tug it with his teeth, leaving a soft kiss over her mouth before going for more. Carrying the kisses down, he left them on her chin, her cheek, at the base of her neck and followed the line down to her collarbone just above the valley to her breasts.

She wasn't asking him to stop; yet he did, glancing up at her to make sure his advances were still welcome before he continued. Her skin was hot, her heartbeat strong, and he was nearly to the point of pulling her blouse down when he heard someone say something.

"My beach, my wave, punk! You're in my way."

The words rolled over in Dwayne's mind, but he was so engrossed in Marie that it took him a few seconds to decipher and counter. The Surf Nazis who had strolled up didn't realize who it was they were harassing since he had his head buried between two perfect breasts, otherwise it was possible they might have reconsidered. He growled heavy as he pulled up and got to his feet in a hurry.

"What did you say to me, motherfucker?"

There were four of them, an easy number to deal with, but that didn't make them any less assholes when it came to claiming turf. David had always tried to maintain the peace between them some what, another one of Max's orders, yet at the same time he loved to taunt them, which only caused more melee.

"Oh hey, I didn't see you there, Injun. I thought you always stuck close with those pack wannabees. Anyway, this is the perfect spot to surf. You and the hooker need to skedaddle."

Dwayne's eyes were on the verge of rolling into the red zone and he couldn't keep his claws from extending. "Bad choice of words Greg. I wouldn't call _your_ whore a hooker, even though that's exactly what she is. Let's not make an issue of it. David is in a good mood tonight, but you know what happens when he gets angry."

"Are you gonna run and tell him? Can't fight your own battles? You sure you're not playing for the other side? Cuz what it looks like to me is he's got your balls tucked away in that long overcoat he always wears."

"And what're you doing looking at another guy's balls?" Marie asked as she stood up and glared at the one named Greg. He was some doofus with badly bleached spots in his hair, several piercings, and reeked of filth. All four Surf Nazis smelled like garbage, as if the concept of showering was foreign. The fact that they had rudely interrupted her time with Dwayne and insulted him sent her into a foul mood.

"What did you say to me?!" Greg shot back, but Marie wrinkled her nose and continued speaking.

"You have a hearing problem as well? I've only listened to you talk for a few seconds and already it sounds like YOU are the one who has a thing for the Lost Boys. You don't have to be shy about it. So what if guys _and_ girls like them? It's the 80s! Anything goes!"

"We don't like them at all!" another Surf Nazi barked. "We hate these assholes!"

Marie tilted her head to one side and innocently replied, "Could have fooled me with all this ball talk."

The third Surf Nazi made an obnoxious noise to clear his throat before spitting a wad of phlegm at Dwayne only it never reached him. Marie had swiftly bent down and threw enough sand at the mucus to stop it mid-air, causing it drop to the ground. While crouched, her eyes took on a malicious red glare.

"Shit, she's gotta be on a drugs," the fourth Surf Nazi hissed while taking a nervous step back. "I don't wanna go back to jail because I tangled with this freak."

This also unnerved Greg, and he glared at both Dwayne and Marie. He took a faltering step forward, only to have Marie growl at him again, this time with more viciousness behind it. Confusion set in and he stopped. Neither he nor his buddies were sure of what to do next.

Marie was once again standing next to Dwayne, and in a voice too low for humans to pick up, she mouthed the words, "I want to hurt them until they bleed."

Dwayne had taken a defensive stance, but he couldn't hide the smile that came from Marie's actions. He took her by the wrist. "So do I, but we can't. Not now."

He was about to tell Greg to back down and move on when someone else joined the scene.

"Well, well, well, it's the man of the hour," David's voice echoed out from behind them as he approached from down the beach. Marko was with him as well looking rather disheveled as if they had already gotten in a tousle with someone else. "With all this beach here, I would assume someone of your stature could easily find another spot."

There was sarcasm in David's voice. Clearly he didn't perceive Greg as intelligent, but that was half the fun of mocking him.

Greg looked irritated and a little confused as his buddies started to walk the other direction, wanting no quarrel with David. Somehow the guy always seemed to magically appear with backup.

"This isn't over," he pointed out, trying to hold his pride intact.

"It never is," David stated simply, already bored with the situation. "Carry on."

He started to walk past Dwayne and Marie, giving Marie a curious, inquisitive look. "How did you know they called us Lost Boys?"

Marie pointed to her ears and said, "I heard it on the boardwalk by different people. The way they described you guys, it sounded like something you'd be called. These humans talk about you like you're local celebrities."

She forced herself to blink rapidly a few times before her eyes turned back to normal, having forgotten that they were eerily red the whole time. She then excused herself and hurried over to the shoreline, where she wandered into the water far enough out so she could see her reflection. She was relieved that there was no more hint of wolf anywhere on her face. In the past, she had always worried about accidentally revealing her true nature to anyone outside of her group, but what had happened just minutes ago had taken that fear away. She wouldn't stand for low lives talking bad about Dwayne. In fact, she was still so riled up that she didn't even flinch when David and Marko arrived.

The more she thought about it, the more that the name "The Lost Boys" did make sense. David, Marko, Paul, and Dwayne were vampires. They would never grow old and they would never die. The Lost Boys of the Peter Pan story were children of the same persona who didn't have any adult supervision and enjoyed their wild lifestyle.

Marie quietly laughed as she watched her reflection waver due to the rolling of the tides. Her ankles then disappeared in a wave of salty foam.

"Jenn must be the Lost Boys' Tinker Bell then..." she whispered to herself, thinking about how her friend's lively personality reminded her of J.M. Barrie's fairy character…

"I didn't mean to interrupt," David said regarding Dwayne quietly as he continued to watch Marie.

"You didn't." Dwayne was a bit flustered, but he remained calm as usual, placing his hands on his hips while he too watched Marie in the water. "That asshole did. I dunno why we have to cling to Max's every word when those motherfuckers are the ones we should be going after."

"And we will, don't worry about that." David reached over and placed his hand on Dwayne's shoulder. "Their time is coming. The band is about to start. Are you going to join us?"

"I'll see what she wants and let you know either way. I take it Paul isn't back yet?"

"Are you kidding?" David almost laughed. "He's in hog heaven right now. I bet we don't see him or the girl for the rest of the night."

"What about you?" Dwayne looked at Marko. "You haven't said a word this whole time."

Naturally Marko wore his mischievous, all knowing smile. "I got nothin' right now, man. Curious to see how this is all gonna work out, you know?"

Dwayne nodded and looked away. "For some reason I thought this was a group event."

"It's different. They know what we are. There are no surprises, unless Paul decides he wants to turn the girl. I don't know how her friend would react to that. I'm kind of curious though, about Jenn's powers and what they can do. Wouldn't want to hinder that."

David turned away and started to walk towards the bandstand. He raised a hand and snapped his fingers. Marko followed after. "Let me know how the rest goes."

Dwayne shook his head and turned towards the water. He kicked off his shoes and ran in. The water was cold, but the temperature did little to affect him. It didn't burn his skin like all the old myths claimed.

"Marie?" he called. "You okay?"

The wolf lifted her head and she reached up to ensure that her braids hadn't come loose during the confrontation, and noticed that David and Marko were leaving. With the Surf Nazis out of sight and the other two vampires drifting further and further away, it was back to just her and Dwayne again. She tried not to think about what she overheard David say when it came to learning more about Jenn and her powers. Their curiosity hadn't wavered, which was only natural considering she was unlike any human they had ever dealt with.

"If you hadn't held me back, I think I would have killed them," she acknowledged as she finished fixing her hair and stepped closer to Dwayne. She stared ahead at his bare chest, focusing on the lone key that hung on his necklace. It was the first time she had actually noticed it.

"… But then I would have had to suffer the consequences of killing on vampire territory, and I would have regretted it."

"Why?" Dwayne shrugged off her concern and fiddled with the key around his neck when he noticed she was talking directly to it, or staring rather. "Max'd probably be the only one pissed off if you did. They're assholes and their day is coming" He didn't bother going into any more detail about it. "You like old relics?"

Marie raised a brow and her eyes lifted to see Dwayne's face. Talk about a change in attitude when it came to her and what she did. She could still remember him and Paul being so eager to destroy her simply because she unknowingly entered their turf.

Standing straight up, she pointed to her own chest in the same spot where Dwayne's key hung.

"Old relics are nice. Speaking of relics, I have one implanted inside of me, which allows me to keep my clothes on even after I shift. It's some kind of magic jewel and everyone in my pack gets one inside of them at some point in their lives. Otherwise, we'd have to spend a lot of money on clothes because they get ripped up in the process of shifting."

She playfully stuck her tongue out and clasped her hands behind her back. With a grin, she said, "Another random fact from yours truly. I'm random, as you already know, so get used to it."

Dwayne was beyond impressed. He had just learned something new about their enemy, something that actually made a lot of sense as weird as it sounded. The part about it being random was the best, and there was no way he could let it go unnoted. With haste, he caught her by the arms behind her back and pulled her up against him sideways, kissing her mouth just after her tongue disappeared.

"Who said I didn't like it?" he asked. "Ah, but I still see some questions you have about my logic. Don't think I don't know. I read very well, even without digging into someone's mind. We already know those guys are assholes. You'd be doing us a favor taking them out, but we didn't know you."

He poked her right between her breasts, almost in the same spot she said the jewel was hidden. "Now that I know you a little better, I'd set a man on fire if he tried to hurt you."

Marie's cheeks were rosy and her eyes grew wide in delight. She wasn't sure what to say, because never had she been with a guy who would go that far for her. It was one of the noblest acts ever declared. Slipping one arm free, she literally had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming any of this.

"Ouch," she whimpered as she continued to gaze rather helplessly at Dwayne. She shook her head and said, "Um, I mean… Er… I'd…"

 _For goodness sake!_

She reached up and kissed him once again just as another wave rolled across their ankles. It was in that moment that she wanted to be somewhere more private with him, to truly express how gracious she was for someone who believed in her. Maybe it was a little fast on her part, seeing as how she hadn't really known him that long, but wasn't that such a _human_ way of thinking? Nature was simply taking its course, bringing two souls closer, and who happened to be different in many ways. Yet not even those differences or what history claimed could prevent them from wanting to be together.

Dwayne laughed and picked her up out of the water, hoisting her up and over his shoulders like they were partners in dance.

"Come on, baby," he said, tromping out of the ocean water. The bottoms of his jeans were wet, but he couldn't roll them up and balance her. "Just hold on to my head," he insisted before he started to run across the sand towards the bandstand.

Normally a function like this left him drunk enough to where the large crowds of fleshy humans didn't bother him, and if they did, it was a brawl before Big Ed showed up. Somehow the overweight security cop was feared by most on the boardwalk, even in a big crowd.

Tonight on the other hand, even though the idea was to hang out and get to know each other, he wanted nothing to do with the large, obnoxious group.

He stopped running to make sure she was okay and attempted to tickle her toes in good fun before he asked, "What do you say we find my brothers and tell them we're doing our own thing? Less you want to stay and watch?"

"I want to watch," Marie maintained as she continued holding onto Dwayne, trying to withhold her laughter from the tickling. She was actually pleased to get away from the ocean, even though she had wanted the alone time before, because she wasn't sure if she could contain herself much longer. The band would provide a good distraction. After all was said and done, she needed to do something to exhaust the energy building inside of her due to the fullness of night's moon. For now, she was going to focus on having fun and not think about what Paul and Jenn were doing with one another.

The crowd surrounding the music stage roared with cheers and applause as the cover band for Aerosmith hit the stage. Marie remained in Dwayne's arms as she clapped for the individuals who emerged from behind the curtains, all of them dressed exactly like the infamous performers from Boston.

The man dressed as Steven Tyler grabbed the microphone and shouted, "Hello, Santa Carla! We're Sweet Emotion, and we're going to rock the boardwalk tonight!"

After a few songs, the band didn't disappoint, and neither did Marie as she sat atop Dwayne's shoulders. He held onto her legs to keep her stable while she jammed, twisting her upper body in a motion he could feel. She was strong, yet supple, and it carried his imagination away.

When Sweet Emotion announced they were going to play "Dream On," Dwayne lifted her high and set her down in the sand facing him. It was too early to proclaim she was something he had been looking for, and the cheesy mush wasn't exactly in the vampire's lifestyle, but he did like to make the most of the night when given the chance.

"This is a good song," he admitted, holding his arms out. "Care to dance to it?"

David and Marko had pushed their way into the crowd for more beer and possibly to size up their next late night snack, which left the other two plenty of room to explore the softer song, and a little more of each other.

Marie enjoyed rock ballads and this particular night had already given her a better appreciation for them as she danced in the sand with her vampire date. She wasn't much of a dancer in general, but Dwayne guided her with perfection. The rest of the crowd vanished and with the exception of the band performing the song, the only person the wolf focused on was Dwayne. She had come into this meet up highly guarded and apprehensive. Now here she was, having fun, dancing the night away under the lull of rock music and the veil of the undead. She hadn't been expecting this outcome, but she wasn't going to complain.

* * *

"I feel like I still owe you something," Dwayne said, looking back over his shoulder at Marie as they pulled up alongside the small motel where the two girls were staying. "We could get you better digs than this while you're here. I know a few people."

The subject about a place to say had nothing to do with owing her, but the night had gone by entirely too fast and he wished to spend more time with her. However, the sun was making its way up and if he stayed out without protection, he ran the risk of death. All in all it had him thinking about the future possibility of seeing her, which meant her time in Santa Carla would last longer, and in turn they'd need a better place to stay, and he doubted they'd want to sleep in the cave again anytime soon.

"Depending on how long you plan on staying in town, but I got to tell you, I had a real good time tonight. I've never seen a girl as wild yet reserved as you without some kind of drug or alcohol in her system." He smiled and helped her off the back of his bike, only to turn around and stomp the kickstand down before grabbing her by the waist and lifting her right back on to face him in the seat. "Honest truth. I can't always promise a smooth path to fun like tonight. Sometimes, we get into a lot of trouble."

His smile nearly turned sideways as a feigned shyness reared its ugly head. In truth, he was a little nervous about scaring her off again, but behind the bashful presence was a monster that gloated about their wild times when the sun went down. "But I'm kinda hoping we can take this further. If you're okay with it."

He straightened and the dark hawk eyes returned in an intense form of seriousness as he reached in to cup her cheek, thumbing over her soft pouted lips. His fingertips beckoned her closer until they were lip to lip and he offered her a kiss.

For once, Marie had little to say. The night turned out fantastic. It had been ages since she had had any genuine fun with a male where hardly anything had been awkward or forced. She almost couldn't argue with the notion of seeing Dwayne again, as he seemed to have enjoyed himself in her company. Earlier she had argued internally about how fast was "too fast" in this budding relationship of theirs, but it put her at ease hearing him talk more, while considering her feelings first and foremost before any decisions were made.

With her eyes drifting closed, she reached in and shared one last kiss with him before uttering the words "good night". In the back of her mind she could still hear the melodies of the rock ballad playing as they welcomed the moment together.

The vampire and the werewolf… Whoever would have thought such a unity could exist?


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's note #1:** As always, thank you to everyone who has shown support for our story by leaving comments, favoring, and following along! Please note this chapter is the EDITED version. If you wish to read the COMPLETE version which contains smut, you must visit our AO3 page! We'll provide the link at the bottom! ;)

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The bar Paul took Jenn to consisted of subtle colors, velvet speckled wallpaper, and grand oak. It was a low-key joint located about a block away from the boardwalk, but the mixed drinks were light-years away from those served anywhere else in town or the pier. They were the type that gave you a quick buzz without regret, so long as you were able to hold your own, which meant it was a high traffic spot. On this night however, it was surprisingly quiet. Only a few people sat at the bar, and the rest were contently seated at tables.

Paul rested his hand comfortably on Jenn's waist as they entered and he led her towards the bartender who was wiping down the counter.

One glance at the Lost Boy and he nodded, acknowledging the familiar face. "Been a while," he greeted before noticing Jenn, which elicited a small smile. "Ah, ha. Special occasion for you tonight?"

Paul smirked. "Guess you could say that, man."

"Alright, then. Lady's drink is on the house. Order whatever you like."

Without waiting for Jenn to say anything, Paul eagerly lifted his diminutive date off her feet and placed her on the closest cushioned stool. He then took a seat next to her, showing off a broad smile of his own that told how excited he was to spend some time with her.

"Usually it's just me and the guys that come here," he explained as his fingertips danced on the recently cleaned counter top. "We never bring chicks in here 'cause none of 'em ever stick around that long, you know?"

Jenn acknowledged that fact with a small nod.

The trip to the bar helped subdue the fever that had spread through her body like wildfire, but the heat was still on, keeping her in a semi haze as she studied her new surroundings. Those girls, the fatalities, had no doubt longed for a moment like this with him. It made her imagination run off into the clouds again as she thought about how much fun they could have in the sack, despite the death, all while he filled her in on the details about their local haunt.

Considering she was suddenly the one exception to the rule, her cheeks blushed and she gave him a rather come hither look as she smiled and folded her hands underneath her chin.

"Loving Every Minute Of It" by Loverboy started to play in the background and it couldn't have been closer to the truth.

"This isn't going to ruin your reputation I hope," she said, sitting up straight before spinning around once on the stool. Anything to clear her head, and stop acting like a love sick puppy with only one thing on her mind. "I'm kidding. I just feel a little unworthy. I mean I am just a girl."

She laughed and grabbed the bowl of peanuts near them, digging through to find the perfect one. A few of the patrons not far down the bar gave her dirty looks for sticking her fingers all over the snacks, but she didn't care. "Why the surprise? This is a bar!'" she winked back at them before changing the subject.

"Think I'll get an AMF, but I have to warn you, I'm a lightweight, which might sound pathetic but that makes me a cheap date. I can't guarantee what my actions will be after said drink. I might end up dancing on the bar. Or I could go crazy and do it right now." She wiggled in her seat to the beat of the music and gave him a wild smile. "I do like to have fun. You guys hang out here a lot?"

"And I'm always about having fun," Paul said, as if anybody had to be reminded of his contagious, good-natured attitude. He snapped his fingers and the bartender instantly obeyed by running over so that the drink orders were placed quick before the vampire turned his focus back on Jenn.

"We hang out here every once in a while. David probably comes here the most outta all of us, but we like how it's not too far away from the boardwalk and serves kick ass drinks and food when we're up for it. Was told this used to be a speakeasy in the 1920s when booze was outlawed. David and Dwayne oughta remember, seeing as how they were around back then and all."

He slid down from the stool and his boots tapped the hardwood floor as he held his hand out to Jenn. "C'mon, let's dance! Nobody's on the floor, let's make the most of it!"

"Really?" Her surprise was both for David and Dwayne's age, even though it shouldn't have been a shocker, and the fact that Paul wanted to dance. Making up moves on her own was one thing, but when it came to sharing the floor with someone else, she wasn't sure how sexy she could be. Still, she slipped off and took his hand.

"We need a better song," she said, throwing her jacket carelessly over her seat.

Lucky for her, the music gods heard her request as the first song faded out and was replaced by Eddie Money's, "Shakin'."

She laughed as Paul instantly put on the moves by doing something that looked like a backwards moonwalk. He bowed and held her hand up as if he was going to kiss the top of it, instead pursing his lips before head banging once to get into the groove. He pulled her body up against his and held it for half a second before letting her spin out, to which she laughed again, noting the play in his demeanor. Obviously nothing had to be absolute and serious with this vampire, which meant worrying about her style was silly, especially with the show he was putting on to make her feel comfortable.

She let go of his hand and let her hips feel the rhythm, amazed by how fast she fell into step. It was an easy song to get into and she felt it really was all for her by some strange coincidence. Her nimble feet took her around, letting her spin effortlessly right back into his arms. Pressing her chest forward, she grabbed his shoulders and leaned back, lifting her right leg as high as she could get it to rub against his outer thigh before she brought herself back up. Again she laughed and dipped down, this time bringing her body completely against his as she rose.

It became apparent they had developed an immediate audience when a couple of people started whistling and clapping. Paul noticed some of the patrons watching in awe, and he winked back in response in order to maintain his rhythm. Even with him in the lead, he was becoming lost in Jenn's magic. The way she moved, the way she danced, the way she looked at him – there was no way she could be an ordinary human. Nobody could embody so much awesomeness in their being, yet here she was, with all of that and then some.

His hands roamed over her arms and hips as they continued dancing, listening to the crooning of Eddie Money. They had yet to consume any of their beverages but Paul was already getting drunk on arousal. The clothing between them was a barrier of suspense, leaving them both wondering what more there would be when the time came to dive into each other.

The song came to an end and nearly the entire bar erupted with applause. Paul blinked in surprise before he stood upright, cradling Jenn against him, and waved to everyone as if he just won first place in a contest.

Jenn was all smiles with short laughter here and there due to the reaction of the small crowd. She had her arms wrapped around Paul's much larger form before she stepped back and took a bow of her own. Even the bartender was clapping.

Reaching back, she hooked a finger through one of his belt loops and gave him a tug. Their drinks were getting warm. "Come on, Mr. Sexy, let's down these and go party before we miss the band."

She realized the words flew from her mouth without hesitation and that she didn't need the courage from the alcohol anymore, all because he made her feel right at home. Still, she hopped back up against the bar, lifted the glass and let the drink slide down her throat. "Actually, I don't even care if we see the band. I'm already having a great time. Will your brothers be mad if we miss it?"

"Doubt it," Paul replied as he sat down in his stool and downed his whisky shot. "Besides, I only came with Dwayne, and seeing as how Marie took off with him, I don't think we'll be hearing from them any time soon."

He drew in a sharp breath as the fiery warmth of the drink coated his mouth and throat, and he welcomed it like an old friend. Without hesitation, he leaned over and pulled Jenn out of her seat so she could sit on his lap.

"Hey, easy there," the bartender warned from the other end of the counter. "Those stools aren't too strong for two people."

Paul snickered over being reprimanded. "Relax, dude," he assured him as his hand slid along the top of Jenn's thigh, his fingernails dancing along the surface of her skin. "We won't be staying long anyway."

His lips graced her ear as he whispered heavily, "Will we?"

With over half the drink gone, the effects were already taking hold of her as she sat in Paul's lap, looking a little loopy. She gave the bartender a sloppy smile. "Yeah, relax. He's a loyal customer. You're lucky we're not fucking right here on the bar."

The statement was bold, and she sucked her lips in before reaching for her purse. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end from the feel of Paul's slight breath against her ear. The play was set in motion and she was ready to get out of there away from nosy onlookers waiting for another show.

She slid off his lap and reprimanded him again. "But I'm not your doll."

With a wink she set the money down on the counter. The room was spinning a little, and she was intoxicated, not only by the drink, but by the smell of him. It was hot in the room, and her skin was moist. She needed fresh air, she needed him up against her, needed his tongue in her mouth and his hands elsewhere. "C'mon."

Her hips swayed with purpose as she hit the door with both hands, opened it and walked out, beckoning the sexy, blonde vampire to come after her. It was all a tease and a slight test to see how far he would take it before putting her in her rightful place.

Paul decided to wait it out a little, knowing Jenn was just as antsy as he was to get some action. Besides Bobbie Nicky, she was the only other female to try and tell him what to do. Both girls were sexy and strong willed, fierce and high-spirited, but that was where the comparisons ended. Even before he tasted Jenn's blood, the feisty female captivated him in ways no other girl had.

Who the fuck was he kidding? She'd gotten him hooked like no other. There was no turning back with this one, and deep down, she must have known it, too.

He tapped his foot on the floor as Bon Jovi's "Runaway" started playing from the jukebox. Only after the first couple of guitar riffs did he slide down from his seat and slip out of the bar. Jenn was certainly no runaway or Daddy's girl, but she was one smokin' hot mama.

After stepping outside, he said nothing as he approached Jenn from behind, grabbed her, and pulled her in for a rough, but fulfilling kiss that would leave her weak in the knees. His hands reached down and grabbed her ass, practically claiming her entire body for his own, as he yanked her against him.

Needless to say, he took her breath away. His lips, cool and soft the night before were rugged and strong now. She felt his sharp teeth graze her lips as his tongue warred with hers. It was a hunger filled kiss that left her gasping for air and moaning for more as the taste of him filled her. Copper, weed, alcohol, all three flavors danced on her taste buds as she reached up, grabbing for his lion's mane at the nape of his neck.

She voiced his name, sharing her breath as their lips twisted and she felt him move down towards her neck. Her heart beat in a strong, uneven pattern as he hit her pulse point. It triggered a thousand tiny nerves inside her body that ran the length of her form, bringing her to arousal in a matter of seconds. Her skin flushed and she felt a tinge of moisture dampen her most intimate parts.

"I want this so bad, I can't control it," she voiced, her words weak against him. She felt dirty inside as the idea of fucking him was all she could see in her minds eye, but she wished it that way. No holding back.

"Isn't there? Can't we?" She couldn't think, but she knew what she wanted, a sleazy hotel room where they could get at each other by ripping their clothes off and assaulting each other's bodies.

"I got a place we can use," he told her, his mind already focused on his destination. He was groping whatever he could, his longing for her turning more frantic. Her skin was hot and her mouth sweet. His want and need for her was hard and aching, while his pants were becoming a major burden. If they kept this up, they were going to settle for doing the nasty outside in front of everyone.

Without wasting any more time, he delivered one more desperate, heated kiss, before he took her by the wrist. He hurried them around the corner of the bar where he slipped between it and another building. It was dark with very little lighting, but he could easily see where they were going. He also made sure to keep Jenn close to him so she wouldn't knock into anything. They had made it that far and nothing was going to ruin it.

They reached the end of the alley where a simple steel door greeted them. Using his elbow, Paul hit the door in an odd succession of knocks before a dull click was heard. Paul jiggled the knob before grinning with satisfaction. He led them inside, where there was nothing but darkness, until he fumbled for the light switch. Seconds later, the small living quarters was lit for Jenn to see. It was nothing to write home about, as it contained a king sized bed, vanity dresser with mirror, and a sofa chair in the corner. The one window of the room was boarded shut, but thin slivers of moonlight shone through the slits of the boards. It appeared as if nobody had used the place in ages.

Paul closed the door behind him and once he was sure that all was secure, he went on the offense. His lips claimed hers as he took her hands and slid them underneath his shirt, allowing her to explore his flat stomach and the hairs on his chest. Her touch was warm and he wanted that sensation all over him.

Studying the place was overrated, Jenn thought as soon as the fire they started in the alley was fueled once more by his eagerness. Scratching lightly from time to time, her fingers crawled up his chest until she reached the base of his throat. She smiled against his mouth and grabbed his bottom lip with her teeth before dragging her nails down. She had been waiting for this moment since the night before and swore that every dirty fantasy was about to manifest into reality.

The room, whether dirty or clean, though she preferred dirty, didn't matter much. The only thing that did was having all of him. It was as if she had found her twin soul at long last. Sure she was going a little deep in that thought, considering it was only the third night and sex was still just sex, but it didn't matter. Even if he ended up ditching her the next night, this one was going to be something she remembered forever.

"I like to be teased," she breathed against his lips, licking across his bottom one before kissing him fully again, raking her tongue across the top of his teeth. "I like slow and steady, and rough. The dirtier the better."

She lifted her hands to the tops of his shoulders, still under his shirt and urged him to take it off. The dagger earring he wore bobbled recklessly as it lifted over his head and fell to the floor behind them.

Standing on her tiptoes, she edged away from his mouth and found the crook of his neck. The pulse there was faint, but he smelled delicious, like a predator aroused. She nipped at him before taking a full bite without breaking skin while her hands ran down the length of his torso and landed against the fly of his jeans. Her fingers fiddled with it, popping it open until there was just enough room to dip down and tease, rubbing his erection as she moaned against his neck…

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 **Author's note #2:** The rest of the chapter can be found at: archive of our own dot org /works/11195922/chapters/26973591

You need to smoosh all of that together to form the URL :) Please let us know what you think of the smut portion on here or on our AO3 page! We love hearing feedback! Thanks again!


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's note #1:** This is a semi-fluff chapter…

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Jenn woke early the next morning tangled in the thin sheets that had dressed the bed the night before. Relaxed, comfortable, and sore, she groaned with contentment as she stretched out only to find the spot beside her empty. Taking a moment of pause, she blinked the sleep out of her eyes before rising to have a look around. With what little light could make it through the shabby curtains on the small window of the room, she was surprised Paul wasn't there, considering the day was when most vampires slept. Still, she couldn't help say his name out loud.

When the room remained silent and still after, emptiness crept into the pit of her stomach. Having had him intimately close a few hours prior made it feel as if she had lost her soul, even though she had promised herself not to get emotional. One night of fun with a guy as sexy as he was couldn't be bought, and yet she couldn't shake the dread of having him run out on her.

Sitting up further, she pulled her knees in as loneliness took hold choking her up a bit as she reached for the comfort of more covers. By chance, she glanced at the nightstand and found a small piece of paper sitting there. The fact that it said, 'Open me' made her smile immediately and she flung herself across the bed to reach it, eager to see what it was that had dragged him away.

The short note was written in messy handwriting but it was legible enough for her to decipher.

'Sorry I had to bail, but I can't be away from the others during the day. Had a blast rocking each other's worlds last night! If you want, I'll catch you around the boardwalk after sunset! My life has been such a whirlwind since I saw you, I've been running round in circles in my mind – you like REO Speedwagon? Because this totally popped into my mind just now and made me think of you. LATER!'

Jenn clutched the note in her hands and slammed it against her chest. If her magic decided to come out now, there would be rays of light dancing around the room from the beaming smile on her face. Feather light clouds danced in her vision as she sighed and relaxed in the bed to reread the note. As much as she loved the sun, the night couldn't come soon enough.

Then she remembered running out on Marie and everything turned to rain. She darted from the bed, grabbed her clothes in a hurry and threw them on. Shame on her for forgetting, and Marie was probably worried sick, maybe even concerned she might be dead. Not to mention the fact that she had left her alone with the other three on a date that was supposed to be double.

Paul hadn't left any sign of keys to lock up, but the room had obviously survived for quite awhile without, so she saw no need to worry about it when more important things were waiting. With a gleeful smile, she clutched the doorknob and took one last look at the mess she and Paul had created before slamming the door shut.

By the time she reached the current residence halfway across town, her mind was numb and her legs were spent and she just about collapsed in the doorway. "Marie!" she staggered in and fell flat on the bed beside her friend.

Marie was sitting cross-legged on the bed, eating a bowl of cereal, and watching an episode of Alvin and the Chipmunks on television. As soon as Jenn entered the room, she sat her breakfast aside and crawled closer to her friend who stunk of Paul big time. Despite the perfumed in a mixture of booze, blood, weed, and cigarettes, Marie was overwhelmingly relieved to see her, considering she'd heard absolutely nothing after Dwayne had brought her home from their outing. She'd barely slept because of it. A few hours of rest tops after occupying her mind by reading and watching TV.

"I appreciate the effort you made to come back and let me know you're not dead," Marie stated simply as she helped Jenn sit up, using pillows to prop her backside. Her enthusiasm towards the effort waned as she tried to keep from getting worked up all over again, but lack of sleep kept the conjuring of such negative energy at bay. "I wouldn't have minded a telephone call, but at least I can actually see that you're still alive and all."

Jenn gave her an incredulous look and pursed her lips. "You don't have to be so nice about it. I have been a complete asshole to you the last two nights because of this guy, if that's what you'd call him." She let out a breath and fell back against the bed again, letting her head sink into the pillow as a radiant glow returned to her face. "But holy shit, Marie, what a night!"

She dug into her pocket and pulled out the note Paul had left and handed it to her. "Check that out." Then she rubbed at a few places on her body. "Can you believe I'm actually sore? I know, you don't want to hear that, but I have to tell you! It was the best sex I have ever had! In my life! Which only means that you have to tell me about Dwayne. I mean, if you want to. Assuming it went well... please tell me it went well. That at least has to be the consolation for my bad behavior."

"It went fine," Marie responded, as she read over the chicken scratch that was Paul's handwriting. It was short and to the point. She didn't know him, other than what Jenn gushed about or what Dwayne told her, along with what she saw in the cave, but she was compelled to think that he preferred to keep his writing brief and his talk non-stop if a subject fancied him.

After handing the note back to Jenn, who really did look like she'd just finished participating in a triathlon, she turned the volume of the TV down and asked, "Does this mean you're going to want to stay here longer? What're we supposed to tell the editor? We'll have to come up with some kind of story to justify being here for so long."

She settled next to Jenn's resting form and scratched at the tangled mess of braids she'd slept in and hadn't bothered brushing out. "Did you ever figure out why you have such a strong connection with Paul?" she asked, gazing at her friend without a hint of anger or disappointment showing on her face. They were the very feelings Jenn believed she should've been feeling after what went down. Marie had tried her best to do what she felt was right in order to protect her. She couldn't force her to do anything she didn't want to do. "Anything come up during sex? Or were you guys too busy having fun to think about anything else?"

"Just 'fine?'" Jenn was squinting, still eager to hear about Dwayne, while trying not to smile as she studied Marie's facial expressions, knowing she was more often than not private. "You're going to make me suffer aren't you? Worrying that you had a semi-okay night while I was... doing other things." She snatched the note back and put it in her pocket while contemplating a more proper place to store it forever. "As for staying, I haven't decided yet, but I know I can't leave right away, not now. To tell you the truth, I don't even care about a story." She paused and then bounced up as if her recovery time was over. "What would you say to the idea of you and I doing some freelance work? It would give us more time here and we wouldn't have to worry about some editor hounding us. I mean we'd have to check in with the local paper first but still. I do better work when I'm not pressured."

She got off the bed and grabbed her brush, guessing that if she were to look in the mirror there would be horror. Then she threw it back down. "Pff, I need a shower is what I need," she said, quickly changing the subject. "As for the connection, I wasn't really diving into that deep of thought during the act. What I do know is when I woke up this morning and he wasn't there, my insides hurt and not because of sex. I plan on seeing him tonight. Maybe we'll figure it out then. But I do wish you'd share a little more about Dwayne with me." She hesitated, chewing the inside of her lip. Maybe Marie would like it better if they stayed away from the vampires that night. The very idea made her cringe. Paul had become something of an addictive drug in a short amount of time and yet Jenn had never been addicted to anything. "Or should we stay in tonight?"

Marie snorted at the suggestion. Yeah, right, as if Jenn wanted to pry herself away from the dude. Not now that he had his hooks in her. She imagined Jenn would have stayed away for a lot longer had Paul not retreated to that cave to sleep. In order to keep things interesting she decided to divulge a little of her night, "We just enjoyed the concert and the beach. Dwayne was good to me. He's… treated me a lot better in comparison to the others I've been with."

Nonchalantly, she climbed off the bed and got down on her hands and knees, reaching under to pull out a shopping bag full of hair dye. While sitting on the floor, she moved past the subject of Dwayne and continued on to talk about considering the freelance work. Other than writing, the only jobs Marie had held down were basic retail work. Nothing terribly exciting but it exposed her to the wonderful world of customer service. "I'm assuming once the sun sets, you're heading straight for the boardwalk?" she asked, setting some of the hair dye boxes on top of the blankets.

Jenn had to stop spinning for a minute and drag herself back into reality. Taking a deep breath, she followed Marie to the floor. Pushing the supplies aside, she grabbed her into a hug and held it for a few seconds before letting go. "Before you do this, what do you say we go to breakfast? I'm starving, aren't you Plus I owe you and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the way I'm acting is, for lack of a better word, scary. I can see it plain as day like a play right here in front of me. It's not really me, but at the same time it is. And I know you know I don't usually act like this. I don't know if it's some kind of vampire thing and I should seek help or if what I'm feeling is real and if it is, there has to be a reason, but reason or not, I DO like him. A lot. Aside from you, I almost feel as if he's the home I've been looking for. Does that even exist with vampires?" She frowned and sat back looking a little helpless. "But if there is something you want to do tonight, I'll make it work. I promise."

"It's fine," Marie gently insisted as she rested her hands on Jenn's shoulders. "Don't worry about me, alright? We came back here for you. You wanted to stay here for Paul and look what happened, you guys connected. However, I can't lie. I do worry that this is going fast. Granted, this is coming from someone who was born to hate vampires, so I'm going to be biased. Vampires and werewolves are dangerous, like wild animals. Just because we can act normal, even docile, doesn't mean we've lost our instinct to attack without warning. Doesn't matter if you can heal yourself or come back from the dead, if Paul ever does anything to hurt you again…"

She trailed off and took her hands back as she looked away, almost ashamed to what she'd admitted. She didn't want to jinx everything, not after all the progress that had been made between Paul and Jenn.

To that, Jenn's bounce quickly faded. There was meaning in what Marie said and it was easy to forget what Paul's true nature was when she was with him, even when he bit into her and tasted her blood. Yet at the same time, she felt a yearning for it, for the unknown, as if a part of her deep down had been tied up for too long and the need for freedom was just a breath away when in Paul's presence, or any of the vampires for that matter. The gifts in her possession had never been explained. There was no rhyme or reason to them even after all the work she had put into harnessing them to protect her from those who wanted to claim them or kill her for being different.

Maybe that was the connection, as if fate had finally brought them together for a higher purpose that hadn't yet been named.

"I'm not afraid of that," she stated, referring to the monster that Paul really was. There was nothing playful in her tone. In fact, she was very blunt as she stared back at her newly adopted sister. "I need those instincts to set me free. And I'm not talking about death. I'm talking about living, really living. Don't tell me you don't want a taste of that, and maybe a side of bacon with hash browns and waffles." Jenn wagged her brows.

While still unable to face her, Marie bashfully confessed, "I already ate three bowls of cereal, but I wouldn't mind eating something else."

After that she said nothing. There was no going back for Jenn. She made her case. Perhaps this was what she needed all along. Paul was apparently her way to freedom, to being unrestrained and unafraid. Even though he was tied to the other vampires, he was still reaching out to her in a way nobody else had. Not even Marie was able to bring that complete sense of sovereignty out for her, even though Jenn was the one to help her leave her pack and go on their journey into the unknown together.

"But you do owe me a lot of bacon," the wolf spoke up at last as she fixed her human friend a knowing look. "You can make up your behavior toward me with bacon, and then we can talk about where about on the boardwalk you're going to meet up with your knight in bloody armor."

* * *

Dwayne's normal habit of sleeping in late was broken after the sun went down by thoughts of the dark haired wolf. By some kind of invisible magic, she pried his heavy eyelids open just moments before he maneuvered an easy flip off the bar and landed on his feet showcasing a pleasant mood. One that left him half tempted to leave his Converse behind and go barefoot for the night. With a quick stretch and grunt as per usual, he grabbed his leather jacket and headed out into the lobby.

On his way out, he wondered how Marie would feel about a trip to the library with him. Sure it wasn't the most hip thing to do for a soldier like him adorned with war ornaments and wolves teeth, but he needed a new book to read during those quiet times in the cave when everyone was high and full of blood. And what better way to get to know someone than in a quiet corner of town?

However, his first order of the night, aside from his thoughts of the wolf girl, was to light all the candles in the cave, along with a few of the old oil drums.

To his surprise, David was already out there. He hadn't noticed his spot on the bar empty due to his lack of focus and he could tell David didn't care for it.

"Be careful, Dwayne," he said while toeing an old newspaper on the ground with one boot. Max's video store had made the front page. Aside from murders and runaways, his collection of videotapes was rendered the best in Santa Carla. "Have your fun, just don't put the rest of us in danger."

"I don't plan on it." A slight raise of Dwayne's brows got David's stern attention. "I mean I won't. This is all new to me, brother."

"New to all of us!" Marko skipped out behind him, hopped over the couch and smacked Dwayne right on the shoulder. "I gotta find me something to stick my dick in. Something smooth, hot, preferably bloody."

"You're a sick motherfucker," Dwayne scoffed.

Marko put his hands in the air in surrender. "Dude, I'm being serious here. Give me a break. I gotta sleep by Paul and he smells like hot, hot honey." He broke into laughter and whistled as their younger brother entered the cavern.

"Hey, sue me for having the time of my undead life!" Paul boasted as he went over to the fountain and hopped on of one of its ledges. He did a quick spin on one heel before settling down on both feet. "I told her I'd see her again tonight if she was up for it… and guess what? I know she's gonna be up for it and wanting more action. I'm tellin' ya guys, she is the best lay I've had in like, forever. Wait, possibly EVER! Hands down, that girl's got some moves that'd put porn stars to shame!"

The other three turned their heads in slow motion with their jaws dropped to look at Paul. Shock and silence filled the large cavern, with the exception of a few pigeons, which decided to take flight after the stillness of their vampire companions became unnerving.

Dwayne could've sworn he heard Prince's song, "When Doves Cry" playing somewhere in the distance to mourn Paul's sudden loss of playboy status. That is until he started to laugh.

Marko caught the bug as well and joined in, racing over to nearly tackle Paul down off the fountain, and even David had a moment.

"So she's not only powerful, she has magic between her thighs," David joked. "Will we ever get the pleasure of her company again, now that she's made your mind and your dick happy?"

Marko let his brother go and sat down on the ledge with a big smile on his face. "Never thought I'd see the night when you'd say that, duder. Hell, if that's the truth, don't ever let her go!"

Paul recovered fast from his near take down by Marko, but his entire face was aglow. He was full of energy, more so than usual, just thinking about Jenn and hearing the positive reactions from his brothers about her. They didn't just let anybody get close to their group, and for an outsider like her to connect with him in a way like no one else had, it meant something big time.

"You think it'd be cool if I bring her in here again?" Paul asked as he took to sitting on the ledge next to Marko. "Y'know, get her comfortable around all of us and stuff?"

"I wouldn't say no to it, "David answered, finally pushing the paper away, already bored with it. "As long as she's comfortable coming back here, seeing as her first impression wasn't the best. I'd like you boys to remember that Max has something up his sleeve. I'd like to make sure these girls are loyal to us first, while keeping our heads. If that's possible." He smirked. "I know that takes time, but I don't think we have a lot. Kind of a contradiction, isn't it? Tell you what. How about you two go out, fetch them and bring them back here? We'll show them a good time. We'll need it after Marko and I pay the Widow a visit."

"Fuck, really?" Marko grunted, making his annoyance well known. "Now this is where I need my best man, Paul!" He threw an arm out around Paul's neck. "He knows how to handle those...THINGS before they get in your pants. Man, why do we have to go alone?"

"As they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer," David winked.

Paul chuckled and patted Marko on the back. The Widow generally loathed men and saw very little use for them other than for entertainment and eventually food. Her adopted daughters harbored the same resentment when it came to males, which made their group much more dangerous. Fortunately, Max established his territory over this part of town long before the Widow could, so there was never a chance of any of those she-devils lurking on the boardwalk. Despite how well Paul got along with the female crowd in general, he was never disappointed when he couldn't be anywhere near THOSE ladies of the night.

"Don't have too much fun without us," Paul joked as he managed to free himself from Marko's grasp, but exchanged high fives with him before making his way over to Dwayne. "Let's burn rubber already! I bet they're waiting for us."

* * *

"The problem is that he didn't say exactly where on the boardwalk," Jenn told Marie as they passed the entrance where the vampires' bikes had been one night prior, only to find the spot vacant. Her stomach rumbled and she flattened a palm over it. "With as big of breakfast as we ate this morning, I thought I'd never be hungry again." She giggled and locked arms with her friend. "Was there mention of you and Dwayne hooking up tonight at all?"

Marie shook her head and strands of newly dyed blue hair brushed against the bridge of her nose. She took a peek at where the bikes were parked last time, but like Jenn, found no signs of the customized wheels.

"He just said he was hoping to take things further," she replied with ambiguity in her tone. It would be a pleasant surprise if he showed up, but if he didn't, she wouldn't be upset. Slightly disappointed if anything. "He did mention wanting to get us a better place compared to where we're staying now. Not sure if he meant closer to the boardwalk, but…"

Her features brightened at the thought as she squeezed Jenn's arm. "What do you plan on doing with Paul? Any actual conversation with him tonight or back to the 'fun stuff?'"

"Conversation would be nice." Jenn's cheeks turned rosy in color as she turned into Marie, giddy as ever. "But oh lord I can't wait to kiss him again! For a vampire he has the softest lips. Like you would think they'd be tough or something, I don't know." She giggled. "And boy can he use them..." Her body about melted right there at the thought and her eyelids fluttered.

A laugh from across the way caught her attention. It sounded a lot like Paul's, but when the guy stepped forward, she realized it wasn't. "Hmm. Anyway. I hope Dwayne comes around too. I don't think I'll be able to live with myself leaving you here again by yourself. And don't brush it off, it's true."

Marie shrugged and sniffed the air as a particularly gusty breeze blew, and before she could comment on Jenn's words, she glanced over her shoulder in the direction of a certain smell. In the distance she recognized two individuals among the crowd, walking side by side, approaching them.

She chuckled quietly and faced Jenn once again.

"Looks like you'll live another day, because they're both coming this way."

A couple of yards away, Paul laughed as he walked alongside Dwayne.

"She spotted us! Man, werewolves sure got sharp as hell sense of smell."

And there was Jenn right along with the little wolf, as gorgeous as ever. She was attached to her friend much like they were when the boys had first taken them into the cave. Had something happened? Or were they just being rather affectionate with one another?

"Well we weren't exactly hiding now were we?" Dwayne eyed his brother from the side, but he knew he wasn't listening. His mind had gone straight to the petite blonde standing there. What would it be tonight, he wondered as they approached the girls, stepping aside to give Paul a little room in the hopes that Marie would come up to him.

Everything inside Jenn was exploding like fireworks as soon as she turned to see Paul, but she managed to contain it, with the exception of the smile that spread across her face, giving it a certain glow under the bright lights of the boardwalk. With ease, she gently pulled away from Marie and walked with purpose towards him. That is until she got close enough, then she couldn't hold back and jumped onto his hips, throwing her arms around his neck to hold on. To hell with sense and sensibility and everything she was supposed to do, this was what she wanted and if he didn't like it, well too bad.

"Hello!" she greeted more than face to face.

"Miss me much?" Paul teased as his arms had automatically wrapped around her the moment she leapt at him. A few people were staring at the close proximity, but for the most part everyone else was minding their own business, lost to what the boardwalk had to offer. In Paul's case, what he wanted was right there in his arms. He shared a smooch with Jenn, a hot and sultry reminder of the wild times they'd recently shared.

"I did miss you," Jenn conveyed. "Is it a little much? I know we just met and we just screwed our brains out, but I'm going with it. I don't even care, so if you do, you better say something, otherwise, here I am! And I'm ready!" She laughed and helped herself to another kiss, making sure to get a taste of the metallic undertone combined with hints of weed and mint, no doubt from chewing gum. "Anything exciting on the agenda tonight? I'd offer my thoughts but, considering I'm not terribly familiar with this area," she shrugged. "I haven't done my homework. Been a little preoccupied."

Her last words were sultry and seductive as she reverted back to their night of pleasure. Paul mentally tapped into her memories, allowed access without resistance. It still blew his mind how this one girl out of all the girls he'd bedded could do so much for him in such a short amount of time. It was crazy, but in a good way, and he couldn't get enough.

He set Jenn down but continued holding her as they talked. Saturday nights were usually reserved for a full blown hang outs with the gang on the boardwalk, but since David and Marko were doing business with the Widow, Jenn would prove a sexy substitute.

Marie, on the other hand, had averted her gaze as soon as Jenn took off. She knew it would happen the moment she saw Paul, and it was crystal clear now how attached her friend was to the vampire. Without knowing each other long, they were acting like long lost lovers.

She glanced over, careful not to intrude on the affectionate blonde couple, and saw Dwayne standing off to the side. Was she supposed to go to him? Or was he going to approach her? She had no idea, so she opted to stand there as awkward as possible with her bright blue hair, band shirt, and tapered jeans. However, she did gather enough nerve to offer a small wave at the dark haired vampire.

 _I'm so not a hypocritical and emotional mess,_ she chided herself as she even flashed a hint of a smile at Dwayne.

The vampire frowned. Was this girl ever not in doubt? He left the other two behind and approached her. "Keep looking like that and I might have to take you over my knee." He laughed. "What's wrong? Lose interest that fast? Must be a werewolf thing."

He refused to beat around the bush. It wasn't his way of doing things and even though he was interested in her, he wasn't going to put up with emotional woes. It wasn't in the lifestyle of the undead. "Maybe you changed your mind about a better pad?" He threw a thumb over his shoulder. "Judging by the looks of it though, she's not going anywhere." There was a slight pause. "You look good... with blue hair."

"How about we grab some food first?" Paul cut in, as he played with strands of Jenn's hair between his fingers. "Was in a hurry to cruise on down here that I didn't get a snack or nothing, if you know what I mean. "

Marie heard Paul mention snacks, so she announced that she would catch up with them later. Like the night before, she took a hold of Dwayne's hand and led them away; only this time there was no hurry to escape the moon. She wanted to let Jenn enjoy her moment with Paul while she cleared the air with Dwayne about a few things.

"Like a human snack?" Jenn asked a little awkwardly, almost shying away, but then bounced right back. "I'm always hungry. Fast metabolism and all from the mojo." She waved to Marie, even though she wasn't sure her friend could see her, considering she was on the move with Dwayne already.

Paul couldn't help but laugh. Now Jenn was acting as if it was her first time dipping her toes into the world of vampirism, as opposed to the vixen he had banged without mercy and was begging for more.

"If you're meaning snacks MADE by humans, yeah," he replied as he started casually walking with his arm encircling her waist. "But you won't be seeing the other kind of snacking—not now."

As fast as they were going, he wasn't going to go THAT fast. Even with her magic blood along with her unrestrained personality, she still had a ways to go before he believed she was ready to see what his true nature was all about. Having sex with him was one thing, but seeing him actually take the life of another living creature, another human, was something else all together.

Relief washed over Jenn. She wasn't even sure she could handle something like that just yet, even knowing fully well what Paul was capable of, she wasn't sure if that was a good thing. However, she knew at some point it would happen, and if this was as serious as she thought it was, it meant taking responsibility as a significant other.

"That's good. I mean, I have a hard enough time killing bugs, unless it's a spider or earwig..." She trailed off, looking out at the ocean as if she was the one expected to kill the person for him. "Kinda surprised actually, what with the aggressive nature you guys had when you were holding us back in the cave. I wouldn't have put it past you to throw dead bodies at us." She snickered, and worked her fingers between his belt and his pants. "So! What are you in the mood for? What do you like when it comes to this human food stuff?"

"Not a picky eater, so I'm game for anything, really," Paul answered as he allowed Jenn to adjust her hold over him. "But c'mon, you think we're that ruthless that we'd toss corpses at you?"

The Lost Boy paused thoughtfully for a brief second, as if re-evaluating the choices he'd made since becoming a vampire, but in the end, he merely grinned. "Okay, maybe we would, just to be dicks."

Over by the Logger's Revenge ride, they approached a food stand selling churros. Paul decided that a great way to start off his already fantastic night was to indulge in sugary pastries.

"My treat," Paul stated to Jenn before he flashed an O-K hand signal to the man behind the register. The employee, an older, balding, middle-aged and heavy set male, smiled and nodded back in response, having recognized one of his frequent customers.

For the first time since she'd met Paul, Jenn had butterflies in her stomach, all because of the churro, and of course the vampire she was hanging out with. She figured it must have been easy for him; each time he took a victim, considering he didn't act anything like a vampire in public. Then again, at times, he did have a way about him when he gave a certain look, exactly like a predator. Right then and there, on the other hand, it was all about the cinnamon and sugar caked on a crispy doughnut like pastry that was soft and chewy in the middle. Why did it give her the dancing gut bugs? Because it was Paul treating her, and that was tough to comprehend. After all, her track record had never gone this far with someone like him.

"I could eat about ten of these things," she snickered, but it was the truth. "Definitely better than what I had in mind first off. I take it you like them as much as I do. Oh and to answer your question. Yes. I do think you're ruthless." She wrinkled her nose and bumped up against his taller frame, staring forward at the treats, as they were prepared. "Don't worry. I'm totally into you. I'm just not stupid."

Suddenly, a high-pitched voice disrupted their good vibes. "PAUL!"

A couple of people were pushed aside as Bobbie Nicky approached him with fire in her eyes. She was wearing a killer outfit that would put the MTV girls on TV to shame. Dressed head to toe in leather and lace, powdered up in flashy makeup, and paper-thin heels, her look was to die for.

Paul couldn't help but turn to the recognizable voice and brought a hand up to casually wave at the girl he had recently been chasing around.

"Hiya, Bobbie—WHOA!"

It was as if time had slowed down, because the vampire saw her reel her hand back in order to deliver what would have been a powerful slap. Even before this, he saw the vicious, pissed off expression that tarnished her otherwise attractive face, and he knew he was in for an earful.

She missed, as Paul easily sidestepped her, but quickly recovered and was prepared to unleash a verbal assault on him.

The sudden disarray caused by the angry female caught Jenn off guard. In fact she was all but pushed out of the way as the tall chick bullied her way in to Paul. She looked like one of those music video chicks, but the voice did little to impress, even though Jenn's eyes went wide from her approach. She could only assume it was one of those one night stands gone bad, or just a really pissed off ex, which she hoped wasn't the case, because being someone's rebound girl was NOT on her to do list.

At the same time, she could tell that this Bobbie, had no idea what kind of animal Paul really was and something about that made her snort.

"Hey, if you can't cut it in the sack, I mean that's your problem," Jenn said this to the offending girl as nonchalant as she could, semi-looking away with a smug half smile as she folded her arms. She wasn't quite as tall as Bobbie, but then the heels the girl wore were long and lethal like weapons; everything about her screamed fake. "I bet you need a shovel to get all that make up off at night, huh? You are yesterday's news, girl. And I don't appreciate you barging in here like some spoiled brat trying to hit my guy while we're in the middle of something. Not sure why, and to tell you the truth, I just really don't give a damn."

Rudeness had never been part of her mannerisms, but something about Bobbie instantly rubbed her the wrong way. She knew Paul could take care of his own issues, but watching the hand come up and attempt to slap him made her blood boil.

Bobbie Nicky glared knives at Jenn. "And who the fuck are you?!"

Gone was whatever mystique and allure Paul thought she once had. There were people staring at her now, this foul-mouthed woman who was attempting to accost Jenn. If he tried to lay a hand on Bobbie Nicky in front of everyone, she would scream. The security guards would come and no matter what was said by anyone else, they would throw HIM out or try to detain him. They would use any excuse to get rid of him because he and the other Lost Boys were seen as troublemakers right alongside the Surf Nazis.

The way Jenn stood up to Bobbie Nicky without even batting an eye was pretty damn remarkable. She kept her cool and didn't try to physically fight on his behalf. As much as he appreciated a tough girl, to have one actually fighting his battles would have been a huge crush to his ego. After all, he had a reputation to maintain, and was a capable brawler if the action called for it. He had a feeling Jenn knew this, and thus was not going to readily step in unless something major happened.

"I was seeing Paul first," Bobbie Nicky said disdainfully. "I don't know where you get off calling him your man, but…!"

Before she could interject more of her sudden possessiveness, there was a loud **_riiiiip_**. Bobbie Nicky felt a cool breeze tickle her lower backside. Her hands flew to her bottom and she felt her own bare cheeks. Somehow the leather of her skirt had torn from the hem up.

Bobbie Nicky was speechless and red in the face. She kept her hands over her bottom as she scurried backwards away from everyone.

Paul had already made his way back to the front of the counter, where he was getting the churros as if nothing had happened. The employee made a "tsk tsk" sound under his breath and was shaking his head. He said to Paul, "My friend, I hope you aren't with that one."

"Nah, I'm with the cool one over here." The blonde rocker winked before turning to surprise Jenn with the treat. He watched Bobbie Nicky retreat like a coward. He was glad he had seen the loose stitching on her skirt when she turned to yell at Jenn. All it took was a simple thought and the mind mojo went to work. He rarely used telekinesis, which was a standard power for all vampires, but in tonight's case, it was well worth it.

For a second Jenn had to wonder if her powers had taken control without her realizing it, as she blindly took hold of the churro, while watching Bobbie slink off with her tail between her legs. The timing was perfect and she laughed to herself before looking back at Paul. "Thank you."

Only then did she realize she had addressed him as hers and had to clear her throat before she asked, "Did you do that?" in reference to the large tear.

Reaching back, she grabbed a few napkins and slowly stepped away from the stand before taking a bite. It was still warm just like the cinnamon spice, and made the interference melt away like some distant memory. The only other thing they needed was a dollop of vanilla ice cream. She could only imagine how amazing it would be to kiss him with cold, sugary lips while their tongues explored and shared tastes.

Seeing as it was hard not to pick up on the monstrous sex drive coming from Jenn's mind, Paul didn't even bother answering her question about his mind trick, as his own thoughts were going south, food and sex? This girl was into some kinky stuff.

"… How you feeling about hanging out in the cave for a bit?" he decided to ask as he leaned against the counter full of napkins and extra utensils for customers. "It won't be a nightmare like last time."

"Oh yeah?" Jenn raised her brows and kept munching. After she swallowed she asked, "Are you going to give me the proper tour this time? I mean, what are we going to do there? Will the others be there?" She realized then that she hadn't really talked to any of them aside from Paul since the night at Max's, and of course their first run in there at the boardwalk. "I liked your room..."

Offering up a napkin to him, she wiped her hands down and licked her lips. "But first you gotta tell me who that crazy broad was." She giggled. "Is she really a recent ex? She seems a little," she twirled a finger around her temple and made a twisted face.

Paul grimaced, as if actually disgusted by what Jenn was suggesting, but it was followed with a bemused chuckle. "After the way she acted tonight? It just proved to me that I'm glad we weren't together in ANY sort of way."

He chomped down on his churro and it soon vanished into the confines of his stomach. Instead of using the napkins behind him or what Jenn offered, he used the back of his hand to wipe his own mouth clean. Who needed napkins anyway? "I'm actually glad she blew up like that," he went on, "'cause there's a golden rule when it comes to sex that I like to go by: don't stick your dick in crazy."

A couple of guys who happened to be in line nearby overheard Paul's comment and nodded in agreement. One of them even hollered an "AMEN, BROTHER!"

Paul gave thumbs up in their direction before saying to Jenn, "They'll be around once they finish some quick business with a… someone we know. For now, it'll give us time for me to give you like, a real proper tour of our home. What do you say?"

"I say that's a good motto." She sidled up closer to him and stuck her hand in his pocket.

The eager vampire pulled his prized girl away from the churro stand and took them into the direction of this home.

* * *

 **Author's note #2:** As always we'd like to thank our reviewers, NoLogginIn, Chantal, Kate, LMAO, GUUEST, True Reviews, Lyanna L, Edicts Galore, and J. Berry Smith. We'd also like to state that reviews are reviews, the good and the bad ones, and we welcome them all as long as they are not flames. However, we will NOT tolerate reviews that aren't, and are filled with nothing but false accusations, drama, old grudges, and the ones who tell us what we should be writing. Those will be deleted. We're not getting paid to write this as much as we wish we were. It was created for fun and that's what it will continue to be. We hope you're all still enjoying it and are compelled to leave us your thoughts about the story as it really makes our day.


	14. Chapter 14

Once she was alone with Dwayne, Marie could relax. She asked for some snacks from the restaurant near Neptune's Kingdom, and it was then she confessed to the vampire about feeling a little intimidated, seeing how Paul and Jenn were with one another. It wasn't something she was used to seeing with someone as close to her as Jenn was, and it made her jealous.

"I loathe vampires. I loathed you guys for what you did to Jenn. I couldn't understand why Paul felt like he should have any kind of feelings for her or vice versa for her for him – it's just stuff I should probably learn to deal with, because they like each other a lot, right? Does that even make sense?"

Marie munched on her newly acquired garlic and Parmesan fries as she sat on the rail with her back facing the ocean. The breeze was comforting as it caressed her backside and played with her hair. Her feet dangled above the cement as she carefully removed the soda cup from between her thighs and took a sip. Once her mouth was clear, she shared another bit of information with Dwayne before he could speak.

"I've only been in a few relationships, but they were all fixed. It was like arranged marriages, only… nothing good ever came out of them." The corners of her lips twitched ever so slightly. "That's why I'm a little confused on how to feel and if what I'm doing is okay or not. Even the things I say to Jenn about Paul, maybe I'm wrong about them, and I'm just being selfish because she's the only person I've cared so deeply for. I don't want to lose her... and..."

She shifted in her seat which caused the fry tray to slip from her grasp and spill to the ground. She let out a cry of disappointment before she hopped down, set aside her soda, and started scooping up her food, regardless of how hot they still were, but in the process she continued talking to Dwayne.

"I like you, Dwayne. I like you a lot, and I don't want to lose Jenn, but I also want to see how things go between us."

This was a lot of emotional information for Dwayne to take in and it was coming at him pretty fast. He understood the line drawn between them would take time to erase, but he didn't realize that even a little dent made would be redrawn night after night. At least that's how it felt. One minute he felt connected to the werewolf and the next, she was getting something to eat as if he wasn't there, and yet he was, even if his like for human food wasn't huge. Still, he listened to what she had to say. Some of it surprised him, yet at the same time he understood her point of view, and when he did reply, he simply said, "Fair enough."

He stood still until her words faded out and when he was certain she was done he had to think for a minute. "Are you still going to eat that?" he asked. It didn't look healthy with all the sand and grit now caked to most of the fries, and the question was way beyond the point, but he would get to that.

Marie frowned and examined what she thought she managed to save. When the new toppings were revealed, it was no longer appealing to her.

"So much for the three second rule," she complained before standing up and going to the trashcan nearby. Once the tray was discarded, she returned with an apology. "Sorry about unloading on you like that. I do appreciate you listening. It's a bit much… so…" she slowly smiled. "Let me make it up to you. Let's do whatever YOU want to do, all right? I won't object."

"Hold on, little wolf," he said, throwing a hand out to stop her from jumping topics again so fast before hopping up on the rail. "We can always get more if you want them that bad. Come here." He beckoned her next to him. "I need a little more time to comprehend what you've just been telling me. A few seconds isn't long enough, even for a vampire like me." He chuckled quietly.

"I understand your loathing. You know I've felt it too. We touched base on it the other night, but I've already let it go. Maybe you should too. As for my brother, I'm not sure what you've been telling Jenn about him. Instincts are instincts. Shit happens, but I know for a big fat fact that he wouldn't hurt her on purpose in any way. What we did was shitty, but like I said, it's in our nature. We can't stop being and we don't sulk in our choices, otherwise we wouldn't survive. You got no reason to be jealous. I'm offering you the same thing. Less there's a reason beyond this vampire issue that says I'm not good enough?" he paused for half a second. "You got a lot of baggage, doll. I can help you let it go, if you let me. But what I see is your friend doing exactly what she wants, and I gotta admit, Paul's never been this way around a human before. There is something there, something special. I figured you guys were a package deal, but you can't force someone to do something. Doesn't matter what they are. If Jenn chooses him, that's the way it's going to be. So tell me, are we going to give this a shot or what? Because we're just going around in circles and I might not look like it, but I get dizzy real easy sometimes."

Marie was stunned. Everything Dwayne said made absolute sense to her. He had taken everything she said into consideration. The way he responded, he didn't make her come off as stupid or thoughtless, like the past males had. In fact, this was probably the most she had ever heard him talk in one sitting. What stood out to her the most wasn't what was said about Paul or Jenn, but rather, the notion of wanting to give this relationship of theirs a chance.

She started to speak, but the words wouldn't come out. She was nervous, but ultimately she knew she wanted this. She had to be selfish for once and think of what SHE wanted, nobody else.

"Alright," she finally declared with a nod. "Fine. Let's do this. Let's prove the world wrong and show them that a vampire and werewolf can get along in more ways than one."

"You are absolutely, one hundred percent sure about that?" His comment was lighthearted. It amused him how fast she could turn the tables on her own worries, fears, and notions.

Slipping off the rail, he held his hand out to her. "David invited all of us back to the cave later. It'd be a good chance for you to hang out with me and your friend, if Paul doesn't drag her back to his room first for a few good hours." He winked. "In the meantime, I have something I'd like to show you, but before we go, did you want to grab more grub?"

Go back to the cave? The wolf made a slight face, but she knew if things were to become stronger between them, she had to make nice with the others. After all, she had made it that far, the cave would be a cake walk.

As she stared at Dwayne's hand, she gathered courage from within. Her heart was urging her to take that step forward and have fun like she did the other night.

 _According to man, lone wolves are the apex predator. Therefore, I am capable of taking on any challenge. Why haven't I thought about it like this before? Because I was worried about everything else! Come on, girl, go!_

"Okay," Marie said cheerfully as she slipped her hand into Dwayne's, allowing their palms to touch. "Lead the way to grub and then to whatever it is you wanna show me."

* * *

Dwayne's choice of to-go was a couple of greasy cheeseburgers accompanied by two buckets of French fries they enjoyed while on the move.

He realized, as they got closer to the cave, that asking Marie to come back without giving her time to think about it was probably a bad idea, but considering her gigantic leap of faith, he had no doubt she would overcome the unpleasant memories.

After stashing his beloved bike in the bushes, he took Marie's hand and led her towards the back end of the cave away from the edge that dropped into the ocean. "This way in'll help you adjust better I think," he told her, ducking under a few reckless vines that succeeded in hiding his secret entrance. "I found this a while ago. Must've been a stairway to the old hotel that used to be here or something. Watch your step."

From the outside it looked like nothing but a black hole used by a rabbit in a fairytale, but as Dwayne pushed aside a few rocks, revealing an old, battered piece of wood, it started to look more and more like a door. He opened it with a jiggle and looked back at her over his shoulder. "Ladies first."

Marie was impressed with this secret entrance reveal. She wouldn't have suspected such a thing to be here because of the natural vegetation that grew around the area. It left her with the temptation to shift into her wolf form to move about more gracefully, but she didn't want to take her hand away from Dwayne's, as courteous as he was being. Plus, she wanted to learn more about the old turn of the century resort and whatever secrets it contained.

Stepping around him, making her way through the entrance, a cool gust of wind greeted her, and she blinked a couple of times before moving forward as her eyes adjusted.

"One question, if you don't mind," Marie said as she cautiously walked ahead with Dwayne close behind. "Where is your guys' hellhound? Does only a head vampire get one?"

Dwayne's jaw tightened over the question considering Marie was still basically an unknown and it gave him pause. As innocent as she seemed, that alone sent up red flags, because as any one vampire knew, going without a hellhound during the day left them somewhat vulnerable, even if they were deep within the cave. Giving that kind of information over to someone he hadn't completely put his trust in yet could prove dangerous if she was hiding something like a surprise attack.

"How about I tell you later?" he asked, regarding her in a very serious manner.

He followed and once again told her to watch her step as he pulled a lighter from one of his pockets. It snapped open and a flame was born. He used it to light an old candle shoved in the broken crevice of the wall. It helped to light the first step in a series of stairs. Then he hooked an arm around one of hers and carefully began the decent down, lighting various candles along the way until the cavern was illuminated in soft light.

"How well can you see in the dark?" he asked, wondering if she had managed to get a glimpse of it before hand.

The staircase, once upon a time had belonged to the old hotel and was now encased inside some of the stone, as if it had been carved out that way, and down below it was the centerpiece; a large pool of water that shimmered under the glowing lights, radiating in deep blue, and orange hues. The ceiling was vaulted, but arched towards the bottom of the stairs and led into another tunnel.

As soon as they touched upon the last step, Marie pulled away from Dwayne and crouched down to gaze upon the gorgeous body of water. It was a breathtaking sight, nothing she had ever seen out in the wild. It was like being displaced in time, with the subtle reminders of a history tucked away from the outside world.

She hadn't responded to Dwayne's question about being able to see in the dark. The fact that he had to guide her with the light should have been the answer, and she couldn't help but wonder what kind of stories Dwayne had heard concerning werewolves. Great vision in the dark was not a typical ability unless in wolf form. Night vision was one advantage vampires had over them in any guise.

Then she remembered how he had answered her question about the hellhound with his own question, and the way he spoke didn't exactly come off as pleasant, like she had no business asking in the first place. What did she do wrong? She talked about herself at the beach, information she volunteered that customarily shouldn't have gone any further than the pack she grew up in, yet he couldn't answer one measly question about a hellhound?

 _Watch yourself,_ her inner wolf warned, catching her off guard as she gasped. _You may have shared a few kisses, but you are not friends. Not by a long shot. Don't let your heart rule over your head._

"…This is pretty," Marie said after a long string of silence, deciding to ignore the wolf in the moment, even if the cautionary words stung.

Noticing a pebble within reach, she picked it up and hurled it into the water. It made a delightful "plop" as it sunk into the depths, creating a soothing rippling effect across the surface. Marie groaned loudly and leaned back until seated on her bottom to let out a complaint, "I wish I knew how to skip rocks... but how lucky you are to have this place in your home! You guys often come down here to use these pools?"

"Not really." Dwayne's answer was quick. The others don't like water all that much. I kinda like taking a dip in it now and then. I figure when the earthquake hit, this all opened and let in some of the sea, but whatever it went through, it created something better. I've heard a lot of rumors about what's buried in this cave, or underneath it. A lot of bullshit, but this, this is nice."

He kneeled and picked up a stone of his own and tossed it underhanded. It skipped perfectly across the water.

"There's even a warm spot, like one of those hot tubs." There was laughter in his words for no real reason other than it sounded like he was trying to make a sale and she was the buyer. Temperature rarely had any effect on a vampire, but warmth was something different. It attracted them as much as a heartbeat because often their skin was cold and even though a chill didn't bother their kind, there was something to be said about a warm, soft body. "You like the water?"

Marie narrowed her eyes over Dwayne's effortless rock skipping trick. Sure, he went and made it look so easy!

"I like it just fine," she said about water in general. She remembered her little reveal to Dwayne about her astrological connection to the element. She replayed all the personal information she fed him, and it wasn't anything more than she revealed to Jenn when the two first became friends. They just both happened to be the first non-wolf entities she exposed herself to.

 _Getting sloppy,_ the inner wolf chided.

Marie grit her teeth and looked to the side, pretending to show interest in the other tunnel so Dwayne wouldn't see her expression. From the time the two girls had set out on their adventure, the inner wolf had remained quiet and was almost forgotten. Now that she was more involved with the situation, more so than anticipated, the wolf inside had decided it was getting out of hand. According to the beast, she wasn't thinking with a full deck of cards.

"I don't imagine you wear swim trunks or surfing shorts when you step in here, huh?" Marie joked to deflect the wolf, even though in honesty, she couldn't help but think about gorgeous body Dwayne had. His chest alone was a sight to behold, even with those morbid werewolf fangs he proudly wore around his neck. For a vampire he was far from gross in appearance. For a man, he was quite beautiful.

He gave her a long, drawn out, "nope" as if it were no big deal going in naked, before he glanced at her from the side. There was no hiding the fact she had been checking him out in various places as her eyes were too easy to read. Only now she was hiding them from him and he could tell there was an air of unease about her. He wanted to chalk it up to being back at the cave, but his gut instinct told him otherwise.

He realized it had come just after the question about the hellhound and he took a long, unneeded breath. "Listen, Marie, I just want you to know that I'm not trying to be misleading with you. But there are things I'm going to hold back on in this moment until we get to know each other better. It's nothing personal. I promise. I'd share it all with you if I knew one hundred percent you were loyal to me, but we just met each other. I don't think we can expect that just yet, can we?" He was looking at her, smiling, waiting for her to turn around and respond.

"… Oh, sure," she answered as she stood up and dusted her bottom with her hands. "I get it."

She turned and gave him a faint smile in return. His words hit home, but they made sense, they truly did. Now she would just have to find a way to put a lid on saying anything more about herself, voluntarily or not. She and Dwayne were nowhere near on the same level with one another, even with the few tender moments they had shared. They weren't like Paul and Jenn with the instantaneous connection. A physical connection, no matter how small or great, meant nothing without the full emotional aspect behind it.

 _Humans are easier to deal with than we are. If you were human, he probably would have taken to you much sooner. You have to endure more to earn his trust._

Finally, Marie had had enough and silently told the wolf to "shut up" and mind its own business. Then she spun around once more, ready to walk off… but she had no idea where to go, and God knew she wasn't going to wander about aimlessly in a cave infested with vampires and most likely the dead bodies of their victims.

With a nervous chuckle, she turned back to Dwayne and asked, "Ready to go, then? This was a nice sight-seeing spot, but aren't the others waiting?"

"I can tell this is going to be a lot tougher than what I imagined." His look was open but calculating at the same time. For as much hate as the species had for each other, he felt her brick wall was more like iron and no matter how hard he chipped away at it, the damn thing wouldn't give, despite his attempt at being honest. He knew Paul wasn't sharing these things with the other girl, Jenn, no matter how many times he put his dick in her, that was fact, but it was pointless to plead his case to Marie repeatedly.

Briefly, he turned away from her to grab a long stick fitted at the end with moss and various flammable organics that had been collected to make the perfect open flame, and using his lighter once more, he set it ablaze. The light would help guide them through the tunnel into the main lobby where the girls had been before. He could tell the others were already out there and he handed the torch to Marie.

"Lead the way," he said with a nod. Perhaps a little show of faith would help her to see that he was doing everything with her in earnest, but only time would tell.

"Wait!" Before she could head into the dark, however, he grabbed her upper arm and yanked her around. Sparks from the flame danced and fell to the ground at their feet and he brought her in for a hard kiss. There was no reason for it other than he felt the urge suddenly arise and he wasn't going to let the moment pass.

Before she could utter a word, his mouth was pressed against hers and they were kissing. Her cheeks flushed and her knees nearly turned to jelly. There was such urgency behind this kiss that it frightened her, but at the same time it also excited her. She closed her eyes and returned the kiss while trying so hard not to drop the torch. The last thing she wanted was to set this cave ablaze because she couldn't handle being kissed by a vampire. While she hadn't kissed that many males in her life, Dwayne was, hands down, the best kisser. It made her helpless, and it made her yearn for more.

 _This is nice,_ she thought as her entire body rapidly grew warm. She wanted to wrap her free arm around him and bring him close… in that moment she wanted to do so much more with him, and just like that, the mental dialogue from moments before was forgotten. But ultimately, she decided against it, as it was too much too soon for two acquaintances at best (never mind what she allowed him to get away with on the beach).

 _One day, if we do get to know each other better, like… when I know what his shoe size is… then I can think about 'hugging' him._

She expected the wolf to make a snarky remark, but when the sound of her lips dancing with Dwayne's, and the crackling burn of the torch were the only sounds, she knew the internal battle had been won for now.

Her eyes fluttered open and the kiss was broken, but she didn't pull away. She remained close, breathing heavily against his lips as she bowed her head and averted her gaze to his necklace. She didn't want him to see how red her face was even though he had already seen it.

"Now that we've got that covered," she muttered under her breath, feeling good all over. Even if he didn't trust her entirely, he helped her relax to a certain degree every single time she was on edge. It was conflicting, and she wished things would just work themselves out already. For now, it was baby steps.


	15. Chapter 15

The food didn't last. It was gone by the time Jenn and Paul reached the cave, which was just as well, considering there wasn't enough for the rest of the gang. As it were, as soon as Jenn's feet hit the dirt floor, her stomach was turning, and she wouldn't have wanted any. The nerves weren't necessarily bad. They spelled out the excitement of things to come, like being alone in Paul's room, and kissing him on the bed, among other things. Yet the desire to have him all over again was slightly hindered by the fact that she wanted to get to know him as well, not just his anatomy, good sized or not.

Not only that but the cave held its own wonder, full of enchanted artifacts and old antiques, and little quirky, handmade mobiles that hung over the broken fountain. These were all things that caught her eye and wonder.

"I bet you guys have a lot of stories to tell," she said after zigzagging her way back and forth across the lobby to gaze at everything. Her pattern took her to an old shelf. Dust and cobwebs covered it. On the top sat a skull and an old bottle of booze now used as a candle holder, and on the bottom sat a bejeweled bottle. She placed both hands on it as if it hypnotized her, but she didn't pick it up. "Especially about this."

Paul slipped up behind her before she could touch the bottle, making enough noise so that she wouldn't freak out and accidentally drop it, because that would have been all kinds of bad.

"We've found a lot of cool stuff over the years," he told her as he remained behind her with his hands on her hips and his gaze locked on the bottle. "That's a different story all together. That's something we use for special occasions."

A warmth spread through her body every time he touched her, and she wondered if he could feel it. It was a different sensation than the one she got when her heart pounded heavily in her chest, which she figured he could detect as easily as the sound of blood coursing through her veins.

"I bet." Her eyelids fluttered as she answered, but she took a quick breath to stay steady. "Wouldn't want anything to happen to it. How long have you lived here?"

Everything was swimming through her mind at a fast pace, and it was all jumbled together. It made her unsure of where exactly to begin. What did she know about vampires? Was anything they told in stories true? Did it even matter?

"Few years, give or take," Paul answered informally as he tilted his head back and appeared to admire the remains of the once glamorous hotel for the first time. "Actually, if you wanna know a little something…"

He lowered his head once more and pointed to the bottle. "That there was part of my initiation process. Not everyone gets that far with this group, but I was one of the lucky ones. I got picked to join."

There was pride in his words. There was no hint of regret of anything that happened since getting involved with David, Dwayne, and Marko. Considering his own personal demons and sordid background, he had no regrets turning to the dark side.

Paul gave Jenn's slender waist a squeeze. "C'mon, let's relax on the couch. I got us some appetizers."

Her eyes were wide with amusement because even as they pulled away from the shelf, she couldn't draw her attention away from the bottle. Her small inner voice was speaking to her, but the words were unclear, yet she knew it had something to do with the bottle and his talk of initiation.

"So, there's a process." A hint of worry lay in her words as if she feared she wouldn't pass the initial process it took to join the group. She took a seat, folding her legs in on the cushion while facing more towards him. "Is there wine in that bottle?"

There was no teasing. Her inquiry was serious, yet she had a feeling it went a lot further than just wine. "You know like those sorority pacts they make where they claim it's dead man's blood?"

Paul raised a brow over her words before he helped himself to a seat next to her. He should have figured the non-stop fun was going to hit a couple of rough patches before it went on to smooth sailing once more. It wasn't going to be all sex and fun, as much as he would prefer it, because he knew it was going to come to a point where loyalties would be tested.

"I can tell you this much," he said in all seriousness, "there is _**zero** _ dead man's blood inside that bottle."

A blink of an eye later, he added in a much more upbeat manner, "That's like drinking rancid milk way beyond the expiration date!"

Just then, a light emerged in the form of a torch from one of the tunnels nearby. The flames quietly flickered in the dust filled air followed by the sound of footsteps approaching the lobby.

"I forgot how much this place smells," Marie complained behind her hand which she held over her nose and mouth. She already missed the rich and clean aroma of the springs which were about a half a mile behind her and Dwayne. She refrained from complaining any further when she saw both Paul and Jenn on the couch. She was half expecting to find them engaged in some sort of lip lock or in the process of tearing each other's clothes off—at least that was going by what Jenn told her of their previous night together. Instead, the werewolf saw an apprehensive expression etched on her best friend's face, and she openly asked what was going on.

"It's a fine wine, aged to perfection," Dwayne disclosed, relieving Marie of the torch. He eyed the petite blonde as he passed before throwing the fire into a nearby oil drum. It sparked and sputtered before starting an even bigger fire that helped light up the dim room. "That's what they're talking about."

He stopped short in front of a low table covered in candles and Knick knacks and paused in concentration before he found what he was looking for; a package of incense. They would help with the smell Marie so openly complained about, and as soon as they were lit, soft tendrils of scented smoke lifted into the air.

He found a seat, leaving room for Marie if she wished to join and grabbed a nearby ashtray accompanied by a package of cigarettes. "The bottle is sacred."

"Like this place?" Jenn turned her attention to Dwayne. Her face was still sour from the description Paul had given dead man's blood. Her intrigue was peaked, but despite the seriousness, she gave a lighthearted smile to her friend.

"Nice to see you here. There's an old relic over there. A bottle. It's a special occasion's bottle." She nodded in earnest. "Has to do with initiations and what not."

Paul grinned and playfully nudged Jenn. "Aged wine like Dwayne said, but I like your imagination going wild with dead man's blood. College kids come up with the craziest shit for their initiations, don't they?"

Marie threw a quick glance at the bottle before giving Jenn a relieved smile. The wolf saw no visible signs of trauma anywhere on her human companion. Maybe things truly were working out more smoothly. It helped that the lobby smelled much more pleasant thanks to Dwayne, whom she decided to join on the couch. The seats were surprisingly clean and comfortable even if some of the fabric was torn here and there.

"Wine, huh?" Marie inquired as she brought her feet up and tucked them beneath her bottom. She didn't peg vampires to drink anything but blood; that was until she saw how Dwayne ate and drank mortal food on the boardwalk.

"Some of us like wine." David's voice echoed around all four of them as he descended from the entrance, taking one even step at a time. "And then some of us like whiskey." He snapped his fingers and Marko produced a bottle of hard liquor from the inside of his jacket.

Marko didn't say a word but wore a cheeky grin as he shook the bottle.

"I think we should play a game," David continued. His last step was hard as he finally hit the main floor. "A, get to know each other better, game."

Jenn noticed that David's presence was one of those you couldn't ignore or deny because he took all the energy from around the room and used it to his advantage, making everything else seem small. It was if a king had stepped off his throne when David entered and spoke, even though he always seemed to regard the others, for the most part, as his equals, and yet when he wanted something, they all fell in line.

She couldn't help the nervous feeling that overcame as she looked in his direction. He was the one who would have kept the girls as prisoners had it not been for Max. At least that's how it had played out, but she found herself scooting into Paul, as if his chilly flesh would protect her from any onslaught David decided to dish out. Yet at the same time, she remembered how Paul had also jumped into action the first time David had given an order, and that didn't fork over much comfort.

"I wouldn't mind getting to know you," she finally said, once her body was tucked against Paul's armpit. Being nervous was undeniable, but her confidence always pushed to the surface one way or the other. "Maybe we could turn on the tunes and have a little fun?"

Paul's fingertips grazed Jenn's arm as soon as she slipped up against him. Even with just the slightest of touches, he loved how warm she was.

"I'd get my rockbox," the youngest Lost Boy offered, "but uh, I'm suddenly way too comfortable to move anywhere, ha, ha!"

As he bounced the heel of his boot up and down the cave floor, his mind quickly shifted to what David said. 'Get to know each other better' game?

He found himself staring at the wine bottle.

Wait, no way.

Nah, David wouldn't move that fast, not with these girls.

Would he?

Marie did not bother hiding the frown on her face. She wanted to blame it on her biased dislike for vampires, but she didn't like this game that David wanted to play. She promised herself back at the pool that she would not reveal anything more about herself to anyone.

 _Don't do anything rash,_ the wolf warned her friend. _You've gotten yourself much too deep into this. Be careful._

She saw how Jenn turned to Paul for comfort, but she couldn't see herself doing that with Dwayne. As a werewolf, an enemy to four of these creatures in the cave, she needed to show strength. Any sign of weakness would possibly lead to her demise. She didn't include Dwayne in that scenario, but the others… she didn't trust them to hold back if the opportunity arose.

 _I'm being careful!_ Jenn's response was a little more brash than she wanted, but it was chalked up to the fact that she was nervous and wanted to keep in control at the same time. _Being rude isn't going to help anything._

Behind Marie, Dwayne watched the silent interaction between the two with an unreadable expression. He was solid in his seat, even though on the edge. David had always had the best intentions when it came to their well-being, but he hadn't said anything about this, and he hoped he wasn't up to something.

He brushed his fingertips lightly up and down Marie's back. "You okay with this?" he asked.

"No," Marie flat out stated as she found herself leaning back somewhat against Dwayne's hand, but not allowing herself to relax entirely. There was just no way she could, not when she was with virtual strangers. Then she thought about what Jenn said to her about not being rude, so she sighed. "But… what kind of guests would we be if we didn't… oblige…?"

Dwayne sat forward a little more, looking at Marie even though she couldn't see his face. "I won't make you do anything you don't want to," he said quietly, as if what went on between them was private despite the others being near.

Marko was still smiling as he took a seat on the other side of Paul and leaned over to give Jenn an exaggerated look that included a wink. There were still too many ifs, ands, or butts that came with these girls for him to make nice, and until they were gone, he'd keep up the act of being an asshole.

"You're not shy right?" he asked, handing the bottle of liquor over.

"Guests first," David concluded. "You are comfortable drinking out of the same bottle?" He paused. "She's not a baby, is she Dwayne? Is she?"

Dwayne could see the warning in David's eyes. He was testing the girls, and he was testing him and more than likely Paul.

"It's not polite to make guests feel uncomfortable, is it, David?" he countered, aggravation set in his dark eyes, even though he was trying to refrain from raising his voice. _Not like this._

"Guys it's fine." Jenn snagged the bottle out of Marko's hands with aggression and a slight frown, as if her nerves had switched and become the voice of reason instead. "Not like we have cooties or something. Least I don't and I know Marie doesn't, and I'm assuming you boys don't get diseases like most humans do?"

She talked as she opened the bottle and threw the lid down across the cluttered table. It disappeared between a few candles and she laughed. "Don't need that no more." She gave Marko a willful look before she tipped the bottle and took a big gulp.

The whiskey was like acid, pungent and burned her tongue and throat as it went down before warming her body. She let out a "phew" and shook her head before passing it on. "Now I'm sure I don't have any nasties, because I think that just killed every cell going down." She snickered again and turned with a smile to Marko who shrugged and nodded in approval.

As soon as Paul saw that the bottle wasn't THE bottle David was talking about, he instantly relaxed. He even clapped as Jenn took a big swig.

"Atta way to kick back," he cheered as he decided to take the next drink out of the bottle. He wondered where Marko snagged this from because it didn't look like anything he remembered drinking recently. Whatever, he decided, as he swallowed the contents. It was a stiff drink, but he liked it. He didn't play around when it came to his booze.

"Alley Oop!" Paul hollered as he tossed the bottle over at Marie.

Marie's hand shot up into the air and she caught it with ease, resulting in a cheer from Paul. She surprised herself only because she didn't expect to be so willing to go through with this. She was even prepared to cringe over the thought of vampire backwash in the drink, but didn't she kiss Dwayne a couple of times already? If swapping spit with a vampire didn't account for anything…

"Here we go," she whispered as she brought the bottle to her lips, closed her eyes, and took a sip. Oh crap, this was strong! But she couldn't wuss out, and she forced herself a few more sips for show. She wasn't one for sharp beverages like this. It was nowhere close to sparkling wine or anything light. This drink heavily lingered in her mouth, like it was prepared to camp out.

The wolf passed the bottle to Dwayne before rubbing her watery eyes with her fingertips.

"Taking it like a champ," Dwayne said, his hand still lingering on her backside as if to sooth her, before he took his own shot. "Shit's strong, Marko. Figures."

He laughed under his breath and turned his attention back to Marie. "Later on, I could show you the smooth stuff. The stuff you drink over ice, or alone in a glass. It warms, like blood, but doesn't burn."

He took a few bigger swallows, accustomed to the sharpness, and passed it along to David.

"That's the expensive kind," David informed. "But Dwayne has good taste. He won't lead you wrong. That's why he's the second-in-command. Marko, on the other hand, likes to play, but he is loyal without fault, and Paul, he's the youngest and the newest."

To that he drank, tipping the bottle high before bringing it back down. There was a dangerous gleam in his eyes as his lips twisted, and he swallowed loud enough for all of them to hear. After a long pause he carefully handed it back to Marko. "What about you, Jenn?"

Jenn was already swimming. Even with her healing factor, alcohol always hit her fast and she was more than relaxed, almost sleepy from one drink. Her hand rested on Paul's thigh, and every now and then she tinkered with the chains and rings hanging from his belt. Regarding David's question, she sighed.

"I'm not a huge fan of that." She pointed towards Marko and the booze. With a little giggle she said, "The whiskey I mean. I like cocktails, the sweet kind, and wine and a little beer. I do like to have a good time. I'm having a good time right now, even though I was nervous when you showed up. Not gonna lie. Booze is my truth serum. I like to walk around naked sometimes... let's see, oh and I can't wait to fuck Paul again."

A large, toothy grin spread across her face as she sloppily reached over Paul to grab the bottle once more. "What more do you need to know?"

Despite Marie's warning and her stubbornness to maintain control, she was losing it.

Paul helped Jenn with the bottle while allowing himself a good look at her cleavage. He grinned proudly over the remarks made, because what tried and true vampire wouldn't want to have a good time with a warm and sexy body? The walking around naked bit was a pleasant reveal, and part of him was hoping she'd be willing to do that at some point in the night. He wasn't sure how much time had passed and frankly, he didn't care. It was fun learning random things about Jenn.

"Fact: I'm all about having fun no matter what," Paul stated, even though it was already obvious to just about everyone. It wasn't so much getting to learn stuff about him, after all, but the girls. After Jenn had a more than healthy share of the booze, he took a quick sip for himself before once again tossing it to Marie.

"Coming your way, lil' Red Riding Hood!"

Once again, Marie caught the bottle with ease and she noticed how much of it had been consumed, considering how light it felt. She grumbled, but didn't hesitate to take a drink from it once again. Normally it took werewolves a lot longer to get tipsy compared to humans due to how different their bodies worked. As this game continued and the more she drank, the more difficult it became to control what came out of her mouth. Her inner wolf was silent, possibly too woozy, to speak up. At first it was random nonsense, things she already told both Dwayne and Jenn, but then one reveal slipped out as she braced herself using Dwayne's arm for support.

"I should have KILLED him, you know? The hunter who shot at me when I was a teenager?" She nodded, her head bobbing up and down like a bobble-head doll's, and she spoke loud enough for everyone to hear even though she was staring transfixed at David's wheelchair. "Because… because of him, I can't… No babies from me! Pew!"

She made a gun gesture with her fingers and pointed to her belly. "Right in the stomach he shot me! Ha, ha, oh god, I hate humans… OH!"

She jerked up right and immediately apologized to Jenn, even as she grabbed the couch for more support. "Not you, Jenn, no, no, not you. Never you. I love you. But I hate humans so much… They take away so much from us…!"

Jenn shrugged. "I'm not a huge people person myself. Never even really thought about having kids ever, so. But I'm really sorry to hear that." A single tear dripped down her cheek. There was no stopping it, not now that she was heavily under the influence. Every emotion charged to the surface like bulls in a stampede.

Dwayne was shocked at hearing something that personal come from Marie. The obvious factor in any relationship always led to children down the line if you were human, or apparently werewolf. Like any other animal able to reproduce, as a human, Dwayne had always held family in high regard. Even though it had been a few centuries, it was still something just as important. Considering vampires couldn't procreate the same way, that posed another question. Would the girls be willing to stay? Learning this changed things, at least for him, but what about Jenn?

"That's not something I was expecting from you, Marie. Thank you." David was sincere as he spoke, the menace had left his voice, but he still couldn't bring himself to tell her he was sorry. Granted their outlook on humans wasn't far from one another but for different reasons, he left it at that. "For the most part, we're not the sulking kind. We can't afford it."

He snapped his fingers and Marko popped up off the couch. "There is no time better than the present to move forward."

Marko moved past them towards the shelf in the short distance and grabbed the uniquely decorated bottle. He held it carefully in both hands and brought it back to David before taking his seat back and giving a playful nudge to Paul.

Dwayne's thoughts on family vanished and his face changed to dead serious. He moved up until he was shoulder to shoulder with Marie and put an arm around her. Knowing the blood wouldn't work on Marie, David must have meant it for Jenn, but were they ready to bring in another member? As far as he knew, through mental link or otherwise, Paul was unaware of the plan.

"David?" he questioned, his words barely audible.

"Umm," Paul said with heavy doubt as the apprehension from earlier returned with force. "Wait, whoa, whoa, whoa…!"

He stood up from the couch and didn't bother to mask the panic that was all over his face. "Like, hang on a sec! Seriously? Right now?"

Typically, he was all for whatever David had in store for his guests, because it always ended up as a good time for the rest of them. After all, it was what he hinted to Jenn earlier when she showed interest in the bottle. Now it was becoming a reality—but to soon, though? Sure, there was no question that he liked Jenn and he did want to get to know her, but even for someone as impatient as him, he was thinking this next step was going warp speed.

The sudden rush of Paul hopping off the couch ripped the moment Jenn was having with Marie right in half. She hadn't been paying much attention to Marko's movement or the new bottle being introduced, but she remembered it being mentioned as something only used for special occasions. What exactly was the special occasion? There wasn't much room to ponder it before her body fell heavy against the back of the couch and she looked up towards the ceiling. She knew if she closed her eyes, that feeling of falling forever would take over.

"What is going on?" she threw out to no one.

Meanwhile, Marie was too tired, and feeling too hot to wonder why Paul and Dwayne were acting the way they were. If anything, her first thoughts were of crying – not because of what she revealed about herself to everyone – but the fact that she made Jenn cry. She didn't like being responsible for making any of her friends sad. However, as soon as she laid her eyes on the bottle, she frowned.

"More drinking?" she nitpicked. Her head was just about ready to detach itself from her body and float away. Instead of arguing further, however, she shrugged and gently patted Dwayne's knee. "Well, I guess one more wouldn't hurt… Right, Jenn? Just one more… sip?"

"Seriously. Right now," David said, looking up at Paul. "Have a seat. Just one more sip." He kept his eyes on the youngest of them as he uncorked the bottle, breathing in the aroma as it wafted out.

Marko, who had been excited about the experiment at first, was now having doubts of his own as he saw how fast the panic had set in for Paul. "You sure this is a good idea?"

"Positive." David's grin turned feral as he lifted the tip to his lips and drank. He appeared a bit stunned afterwards but held the offering out to Jenn.

Dwayne wiped his mouth. "You know we trust you, brother, but this is..."

"Meant to be," David finished. There was no arguing after that. "You boys have trusted me this far. Don't you trust me now? Would you not agree that this is the right kind of initiation?"

"Is that what we're celebrating?" Jenn asked. She now held the bottle between her legs with a frown on her face and looked to Paul for guidance. Despite her drunken position, there was cause for pause. "I'd like to carry this on, but not if you're not sure." She shook her head, a little confused.

"Better help her out, Paul," David prompted. "There's always that other option if it doesn't work out."

David meant death of course, even though Dwayne wasn't sure how they would go about killing someone like Jenn, or Marie for that matter, even though he had done away with plenty of werewolves. "Maybe we should consult Max first. I thought we agreed that other option wasn't an option."

"I already have," was the answer.

"I should have known." Dwayne rolled his eyes. There was always something in it for the old man.

"You know, Dwayne, for as long as we've been together, you show very little faith. Trust me."

Paul knew there was no turning back. He trusted David and his logic. David was the reason he was able to live forever and enjoy all the perks and fun that came with being immortal. He didn't want to think about the "other option" because he knew Jenn would make it through. She surprised them all with her blood and her display of powers. Would drinking out of this bottle reveal more revelations?

With a genuine smile, Paul sat down with Jenn once again and encouraged her to drink. The music had been playing in his head to ensure that she didn't catch any of his prior thoughts of doubt. It was dumb for him to even think that way, because everything would work out in the end. It always did.

"Totally go for it, babe. Just one sip, you got this."

With Paul's reassuring, she smiled as if she were on cloud nine. "Cheers."

The heavy aroma coming from the bottle as she lifted it, reminded her of fruit that had sat out to long in the warm sun and fermented. There was a bitter, metallic hint to it as well that her taste buds picked up as soon as the liquid hit her tongue, but after the hard liquor, it was very soothing. It slipped down the back of her throat and she felt it heavy all the way down. With the bottle pulled away, she swallowed once more and handed the bottle back to Paul.

She was looking into his eyes as a strange feeling overcame her, and she tensed, blinking once. The soft color of her natural eye color had turned amber, even though she was unaware of it, he could see it. A tinge of pain also shot through her head and she grit her teeth before moaning and falling into him.

David got out of his seat and took the bottle from Paul in order to take it to the wolf. "Your turn."

Dwayne's fingers were rubbing small circles over Marie's upper arm. He tried not to tense, but it was hard. There was no way of knowing what their blood would do to an enemy, especially one that was already part of the supernatural world.

"I'll have some with you?" he said, glancing up at David as he took the bottle. When David made no objection, he threw the drink back and held it in his mouth, gesturing for Marie to kiss him. If she was going to suffer, he was going to suffer right along with her. Not by kissing her, but by feeling her body, making sure she wouldn't fall right away.

In a drunken daze, Marie hadn't noticed what happened to Jenn moments ago. Sober Marie would have watched with eagle eyes, flipped out, and demanded to know what just happened. When she saw Dwayne motioning to her to kiss him, she gave him a giddy smile. There was no inner wolf nagging at her that something was wrong and that she needed to stop. Her judgment was impaired big time.

She reached over to Dwayne, threw her arms around him, and kissed him. She slipped her tongue into his mouth and that was when she tasted it. Too late to stop it, she froze in horror on his lap as the contents spilled down her throat.

 _Oh fuck._

Her mind reeled, and her heart raced unsteadily. Already she was beyond dizzy, but she pushed herself away from Dwayne before he could stop her, only to tumble back to the couch, where she automatically leaned over the edge and violently threw up.

Blood, blood, blood… Jesus Christ Almighty, it was vampire blood!

Her entire body shook, sweating bullets, and even in her drunken state, she was panicking. Thoughts of terror filled her mind as she gripped the armrest of the couch so hard that her nails turned into claws and tore through the delicate fabric.

"Aw, shit!" Paul hissed as he carefully held Jenn in his arms and watched Marie's more intense reaction to the blood. It was surreal to see these reactions, because it was nothing he had ever seen before. Jenn's response to the blood was like some weird chemical reaction, one that gave him a subtle peek of how she would look as one of them. It was undoubtedly hot but when it came down to it, he didn't want this to go any further if possible. He still wanted her to be warm to the touch, he wanted her lively as she was now. He didn't want her to change, and he hoped that the vampire blood wouldn't take.

"Mmm, Marie..." Jenn mumbled, lost in a daze, but still aware of what was happening in the background of her vision. She felt cold and unsteady and pawed at Paul, as if trying to dig her way into something warm. Her entire body was pulsating, and she could hear everything, including the dust moving through the air. A few of the vampires' thoughts hit her, but the most prominent was Paul who didn't want her to be one of them in the literal sense, followed by Dwayne who was worried about Marie.

"But you said..." _there wasn't blood in the bottle_ was what she wanted to say, but passed out shortly before she could get the words out.

"I'm not real sure what the point of this was, David." Dwayne was having a hard time maintaining his control now that Marie appeared to be in pain, vomiting everywhere. Maybe he deserved it for all death he had brought to her kind, but what had she done wrong other than being a wolf?

"None of us ever had a reaction like the one she's having." He threw a nod in Jenn's direction. "You said we weren't going to kill them, but I dunno, it seems like you are."

A heavy growl ripped through the cave as Marie unintentionally shifted into her wolf form. Her claws tore deeper into the couch, to which (in her current body) she was more than half its length. She stumbled to the cave floor, her sharp nails tapping on the surface, where she struggled to maintain her balance.

 _Jenn, we're… we have to… leave…_ she tried to say to the other girl telepathically. Despite being covered in fur, she was shivering. She only ever tasted vampire blood a handful of times in her life, when she was forced to protect herself against them, and every time it involved biting into the flesh. Even just a drop of their life in her mouth made her nauseous; nature's reminder as to why they were not meant for one another.

 _So stupid,_ she bemoaned as she turned around and went to Dwayne, whining. Fighting against the vertigo which threatened to consume her, she rested her head on his lap while thumping her tail on the couch cushion. She wasn't mad at him, as he did everything he could within his power to protect her, but she was angry and confused. It was a horrible way to sober up somewhat.

Paul could only gaze down at Jenn's unconscious form. She was feather-light in his arms but as peaceful as she seemed, he knew there was going to be hell to pay when she woke up.

"To be fair," he said to her, knowing there was a good chance she couldn't hear him, "I only said it wasn't dead man's blood."

"They'll be fine, boys. Max and I did the calculating."

"Right." Dwayne rolled his eyes, stroking over Marie's pointed ears. He had to admit it felt weird trying to console a werewolf. "Since when did you and Max become buddies again? It's hard to believe. You and Marko, you both like to play these games. I told you, this wasn't a game to me."

"Shit, duder, don't pull me into this. He said it'd be okay, didn't he?" Marko protested. He couldn't help being more worried for Jenn than the wolf, only because he had pulled Paul into the fold and what was important to his brother was important to him.

"I wouldn't have done it, if I didn't think they would be!" David barked. His level of patience was waning. "Realize this, boys: these two are different and if they're going to be part of this, you know damn well it's important to test them to the max. Max aside, I don't give a shit about what he wants, but I figured he would know a thing or two about it. It's not a bad thing to be safe and smart. You will thank me later."

"She needs something," Dwayne pleaded.

"She needs to feed. Take her out hunting. Jenn on the other hand, needs sleep. Judging by the way her blood works." David paused, realizing none of them really knew how it worked aside from the fact that she healed fast. "I don't think you have anything to worry about, Paul."

"Sure, it's all good," Paul agreed, trying to push aside the worry. It wasn't like him to show much concern in general, but seeing how their blood affected Jenn, he couldn't help it. Other than his brothers, she was the first outsider brought in that he liked a whole lot, and he didn't want anything bad to happen to her. If sleep was all she needed, so be it.

"Alright," he announced as he once again rose from the couch but this time with Jenn in his arms. "I'm gonna take her to my room in the back. Y'know, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a bed out here or something?"

He shrugged and grinned. "Just a thought!"


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's note:** Happy New Year! Thank you Chantal, J. Berry Smith, Edicts Galore, XxLostInTheShadowsxX, and Liz for the reviews of our previous chapters! After a slight pause from updating this story, here's a new chapter for the new year.

* * *

When Jenn woke up her head was pounding like thunder in a storm hitting a tin roof, like the traffic of an inner city, and the roar of a train all mixed into one giant ocean of sound. Along with it came a high-pitched buzz and the vibrations ricocheted off the rocky walls, telling her, without doubt, that they were all from the memories of the vampires that lived in the cave. Dozens upon dozens of murderous visions opened like cracked eggs in a steady stream that made her head feel as if it would burst with every movement.

With squinted eyes still rimmed in amber from the blood she'd drank, and her mind lost in the flurry of its dark magic, she looked down and ran her fingers over her arms. Her skin felt coarse like sand paper, dehydrated and crusted over. It felt unnatural, cold, and numb.

"What's happening to me?" she shrieked, as scales and flakes of skin rapidly appeared, multiplying at a rapid pace, running up her neck and over her face, soon mimicking a cocoon as the dead flesh overtook her.

She screamed louder and fell back on the bed, lifting her hands towards the ceiling as her skin began to lift from the surface of her body, growing opaque like a shedding snake. It came off in bits and pieces, rising high into the air before disintegrating into nothing.

This insane form of cleansing lasted for a couple minutes until her entire body had shed itself from the demon, and when it was over, she was once again left with soft, supple skin; all too human. Her eyes faded back to their soft blue-green and the amber color faded away. Still, she had no idea what was going on. Her powers had never reacted that way towards alcohol.

Finally, she sat up, her vision clear, and realized she was on Paul's bed. If he had been in the room before there was no sign of it. Her reaction had sent her into a small hell that left her blind to the atmosphere and anyone present.

"The fuck was that all about?" Her question was rough due to shock.

"Hey!" Paul popped his head into the room just then and upon seeing Jenn sitting up, he made his way over to her. He was relieved to see that she had regained consciousness, because after putting her down earlier, he decided to step out for a quick smoke to ease his nerves. It was only when he heard her scream did he hurry back. Cigarette smoke perfumed his clothing, but worrying about how he smelled was the least of his concern.

"It's David's blood," Paul said, finally answering her question as he shoved some of his clothing off a nearby chair before pulling it over to sit next to her by the bedside. "Sometimes we put all our blood in it, but tonight you had his. Drinking that'll…"

He trailed off for a few seconds before deciding he might as well tell her. After what she and Marie went through earlier, and what David said about them being a part of their world, they deserved to know.

"… It'd normally turn humans into half vampires."

Jenn couldn't believe what she was hearing. The panic she had had just seconds before was starting to return. Marie was right all along in her warnings. They were vampires through and through and would turn on a dime to serve their own needs, yet she had been stupid enough to give it another shot. She had held nothing back and in return got stabbed in the back, even despite his wariness before she had taken the drink. That should have been the first clue. Foolish it had been to trust him. Perhaps the feelings she thought were something that went beyond attraction were just that. Sex didn't help either. It never did. It only worked to trap girls like her in a vicious web of barbed wire.

In that moment she wanted to scream again, thrust her nails into his eyes like a wild animal and tear them out. Yet on the other hand, she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, and 'I told you so' played over and over in her mind. "I took a leap of faith and trusted you, played along, after everything you guys have already done! How could you? Is it in the vampire handbook that you have to lie and deceive us as simple human beings?"

"I so did NOT lie to you!" Paul snapped, angry at the unfairness of her accusations. "What I said was that it wasn't dead man's blood because you were telling me how college kids did that kind of shit to each other! If I'd said to you, 'yeah, it's NOT blood,' THEN I would've been lying!"

As mellow as Paul could be, he did have a short fuse at times, depending on what the situation was. Considering this situation involved a girl he liked, it made it ten times worse. He lived a lie every single night with his brothers and hanging around Santa Carla, and it was their victims that would find out the truth, only too little too late. When it came to circumstances like this, letting outsiders slowly become adapted to their world, he knew being careful about not revealing too much too fast unless given the okay was necessary. However, when the cover had been blown, he wasn't all that great in backing his game, and he sure as shit wasn't used to getting yelled at for it.

Sitting back in his seat, he threw his hands behind his head, and refused to let his anger boil to the top. Instead, he replaced it with a simple, yet curious question "Look, do you feel any different from drinking the blood?"

"You are _not_ asking me this!" Jenn shot back, scowling at him as she grabbed the top of her head hoping to remedy the ridiculousness of it all. "How would how I feel help me? The point is that you didn't stop me from taking the drink. What if I wasn't ready to be like you? Huh? Getting to know someone..."

She stopped and slumped back a little bit on the bed. Paul wasn't the one she was mad at, not really. She could tell he was just as lost as she was and judging by his reaction, she knew there was more to it. She got a feeling that the pact made between the four of them was a very strong one. If that were the case, it was no wonder they prided themselves in finding a pair of girls with one just as strong.

"It didn't take," she finished quietly. "My blood rejected it." That was an understatement, but she didn't care to go into details. Instead, she crawled towards him. "What would you have done if it had? We just met. What if we end up not liking each other or something?" she stared at him, assertive and alert waiting for an answer. A vampire was not something she wanted to be, at least not in that moment of her life.

"Why do you think I wasn't too gung-ho over it when David first brought the bottle out?" Paul shot back. "Like you said, we just met. The only other people who've drank the blood were humans we wanted to mess with, because we knew they wouldn't hack it. David…" His hands dropped from behind his head and rested across his chest. "He wanted to make sure you guys had what it takes to be with us. He had it planned out. I mean, I figured he did, but I jump off the rails a lot of the time because my mouth runs faster than my brain." He shrugged. "Guess now we know what would happen if you ever _did_ want to become one of us one day, we'd have to go another route because of your powers."

Jenn sighed, curling her fingers into the mattress before she threw them out towards Paul in frustration. He wasn't getting it, and maybe to him it didn't matter. What did he have to lose? In the end she was just a play thing, wasn't she? At least that's how she felt in the moment. Her anger was boiling over and she felt the power within her rising to the surface. If she didn't do something with it, Paul was going to get the backlash, and as frustrated as she was, she didn't want that to happen.

"That son of a bitch!" she hissed, gritting her teeth. "Where is he?" Before Paul could answer she was off the bed and out of the room, using nothing but memory to make her way through the darkest makeshift hallway she had ever been in.

"H-HEY! Wait up!"

Paul scrambled to his feet and hurried after her. Considering it was his job to look after her, David would hand his ass to him if she did anything in her crazed state of mind. Yet even with his vampire speed, he was amazed at how fast and determined she was traveling through the darkness of the tunnels.

It was anger that drove her, maddening footsteps almost as loud as her heartbeat, which drummed out ahead of her body and broke the silence just before she emerged and entered the lobby. She half expected a force field to stop her from making a huge mistake, but instead she was greeted by the open air and found David sitting on his throne in silence. He had to have known she was coming to seek revenge, because a clear smile was spread over his face.

She approached and raised her hands towards him and when he didn't say anything, she sent him flying across the cave with invisible force.

He hit the wall hard and came toppling down, rocks and debris falling after him from the impact, but to her dismay, it didn't prevent him from catching his balance in the air, and he landed with grace, flat on his feet. Dust rose from the cave floor around his boots as he took a readied position, waiting for her to do it again.

"You're an asshole!" she declared, roaring as she threw her power at him.

With dark magic of his own, David dodged her move and leapt into the air, skipping from boulder to boulder until he was almost high enough to where she couldn't see him. He took position in a little nook and let the echo of his laugh hammer down over her, more amazed by the display than worried about what she might do.

Paul materialized soon after expressing a mix of amazement and horror. "Son of a…!" he hissed, approaching Jenn quickly from behind before grabbing one of her wrists none too gently. He yanked her around so that she was forced to face him. In that moment the lighthearted happiness that was part of his character was gone and replaced with menacing anger. "Knock it off!"

Jenn glared at him for interrupting, and the fact that his grip on her wrist hurt. She made a threatening gesture back, as if she would use her power on him, but instead smacked the palm of her hand down hard over the middle of his chest. Attempting to cause him pain was physically impossible, and it was both frustrating and perplexing at the same time.

Paul was prepared for the impact of the hit, even though he figured she wouldn't strike him, or couldn't rather. She was too drawn to him, just as he was to her, which made the consideration of really hurting her, if the situation arose, feel like a solid stake in the heart. Still, it didn't mean he could allow her to use her powers on David like that.

"Gonna be cool about this?" he asked as his facial features relaxed and settled. Gradually, he eased his hold over her wrist.

She was still steaming, almost shaking as she continued to glare at him and agreed to nothing.

By then, David had joined them on the ground and made eye contact with Paul, though his view of the situation remained as cool as a cucumber. "What are we going to do about this?" he asked.

"Don't worry man, I got this," Paul promised with a bit of unease.

"You sure?" David asked.

"Yeah, it's just, the blood…" His fingers settled on Jenn's shoulders as his eyes wandered away from David's piercing stare and he whispered, "it didn't take."

"I know, Paul."

"What? You knew the whole time?" Paul asked. There was a hint of disappointment in his voice. The boys shared knowledge of everything. Why had this been kept from him? Especially when the girl was in his care. "I've been sweating blood bullets waiting for her to wake up, and this whole time you knew, like it was a-okay. I dunno, bro…" He shook his head, but didn't continue, unsure of what argument he could throw at David without getting into trouble.

Jenn closed her eyes as they talked and tried to listen for Marie. In all her chaos, she remembered the last vision of her friend before she had passed out. The werewolf had turned violently ill from the vampire blood. Now she was nowhere in sight and judging by what was going down between the two in front of her, she guessed Paul wouldn't know where she was either.

A few minutes passed and when she got no response, she began to panic. "What is it exactly that's going on here? Where is Marie?" She pushed away from Paul and stood on her own. "Tell me where she is, David."

"Dwayne has her and he's taking real good care of her. You have my word."

"Your word means nothing! Why? Why did you do that to us? We were both willing and honest. Marie told you things she's never told anyone. Is this all a game and nothing more?" Her voice croaked and she paused. "Paul, take me to Max, please. I want to talk to him."

David studied her, intrigued by her assertiveness and lack of fear. "She never ceases to impress. Wouldn't you say, Paul?" He didn't dare explain the reasoning behind his actions in full detail, aside from the obvious need to test what would become undoubtable loyalty, but she had done exactly what he wanted in the aftermath of the blood. Max's calculations had been correct. Her power was unique.

Paul, still unaware, cracked a smile at David's words. "Yeah, she is!" he boasted proudly, hoping the compliment would make her feel better. Still, his own loyalty wouldn't waver as he said, "But should I take her to Max, or…?"

"Yes! You should," she implied, refusing the need of David's approval. "I've earned it!" She nearly growled the words to make sure they were paying attention, and to let David know that she wasn't ready to fall in line with whatever he ordered. He didn't own her nor did Max, but there was no denying the bond growing between her and Paul. It was the only thing that compelled her to stay. "Wouldn't you agree? David?"

Her body edged forward, challenging him a little, even though he was taller. "As I said, I was playing along, trying to get to know you, but you don't get to know people by lying and playing tricks on them." Before she could stop the reaction, she reached up and slapped David hard across the cheek.

In turn, David grabbed her wrist and spun her around with a growl of his own. Play time was over. A little he was willing to work with, but the slap had gone overboard. He held her in one arm with a hand at her throat.

"Take it easy, Jenn." Despite his stance, his tone remained even, yet there was a dangerous flare of anger floating just beneath the surface. "Everything I do is all part of a bigger plan. I keep it quiet for reasons you'll soon understand if you play nice. This one time I give you a pass. Next time I won't be so gentle."

He held her for a long moment, regarding Paul with the utmost of seriousness, but that didn't mean he wasn't still impressed by her fire as she struggled.

It was when she relaxed in his hold that he spoke again. "I'm going to let you go now. Paul is going to take you to Max. He's real good at explaining all of this. You think you can handle that? Paul might not be able to control his temper as well as I can. See, he's pretty new to all of this, even if he likes you just a little more than all the others who have come and gone."

That was a righteous burn and it stung, causing her to hiccup.

Paul had to recover quickly from what he'd just seen. It left him with his mouth agape. This was the first girl he'd ever saw go after David with such vigor. She was also one of the few privileged ones to get this close to any of them without serious repercussions… sort of. If David hadn't handled her with such composure as he typically maintained, she might have been dead already.

"So… yeah," he managed to say at last as he scratched at his jaw, still trying to collect himself. "We'll take my bike and get rolling."

Talk about intense. He was afraid for Jenn and what David could do to her. Powers or not, Paul wasn't sure how long she had used them, but she wasn't as old as David and he could outsmart her. The youngest Lost Boy didn't want it to ever boil down to that.

Jenn stepped away from David, a little meeker than before and straightened her clothes attempting to keep her dignity. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Please and thank you," were her only words.

* * *

A little later, Paul helped Jenn off his bike just outside Max's front gate. It didn't take them long to get to the familiar neighborhood from the cave, but the lack of chit chat between the two made the journey seem longer. Seeing as Paul wasn't sure what to expect out of this meet up, he longed for some idle conversation.

However, he could see the living room light inside the house was on, indicating that Max was expecting them.

He placed a hand upon the small of Jenn's back and said, "Let's do this. Ladies first."

Jenn looked up at him sideways and it was on the tip of her tongue to apologize, and oh how she wanted to, but it wasn't the right time. Despite their lack of words on the way, she had been pressed against him, her cheek against his shoulder recalling the memory that had come to her after drinking the blood. It had been of him as a human right before he had taken the plunge into vampirism. It made her feel even closer to him. Regardless, she was still worked up and hoped that maybe Max could clear the air with some answers to set things straight. After that, if all went well, she would say she was sorry to Paul up and down.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and stepped towards the door of the house but couldn't bring herself to ring the doorbell. Marie was also still on her mind and she worried for her friend. What if this was one big mess she had gotten them both into?

The door opened, and Max stood before them. He was smiling as usual, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes. There was no need to make up pleasantries, because he knew this was business.

"Please come in," he invited before stepping aside.

At that point, Paul decided to head in first as if to protect Jenn from anything that would strike them on sight. He knew Max wasn't going to do anything weird, but the need to protect her arose. She probably had enough power to lift the entire house off its foundation, but he still wanted to make the effort to do what he could for her.

This directed her to grab onto his belt, partially hiding her figure behind his as they slipped through the door. It was too quiet in the house this time around and it made her antsy. She wished Marie was with her, even though Paul was being courteous. Her fingers tugged on him before she took a seat on the couch and looked around the room. There was no sense in holding back.

"Max," she said straightforward. It was harder to go off on him considering he had been more than polite the first time they had met. "I don't know where to begin. I put myself out there and gave all this messed up crap a second chance only to get screwed over all over again. Is this some kind of sick, twisted vampire game your kind likes to play? I want answers. The fact that I'm even still here..."

She paused. Why was she still there in town? Why hadn't she run, grabbed Marie wherever she was, and ditched the whole deal?

That had already been answered, but her body shifted and the urge to drive herself against Paul arose again. Like some young pup, she wanted to snuggle up against him and find solace.

"The fact that you're still here after all you've been through is a good sign," Max stated, seated across from them. There were no snacks this time on the coffee table, no treats to distract them from this serious discussion they were having. "You were given the choice to leave, and so you did. Yet you could have traveled as far away from here as possible… but you didn't. You chose to remain close, eventually choosing to meet with the boys again. Seeing as how you are here with only Paul, speaks volumes of how far you've progressed since the last time I saw you."

The head vampire paused and then continued. "I have no doubt the boys put you through the wringer, but it was to make sure you were capable of handling yourself. I needed to make sure you were strong enough, because I fear there is a great danger coming this way. I needn't ask if you and Marie are willing to do whatever it takes to protect one another. Your friendship is beyond strong and without question, however, when it comes to Paul's life, I need to know if you would be willing to go as far as to make sure nothing happens to him? Or David? Marko? Dwayne? In this family, Jenn, loyalty is absolute. It is hard to find. Trust is easy to lose, and actions speak louder than words."

Jenn thought about the question Max presented despite having her own questions for the older vampire. She looked to Paul, who was oddly quiet, and then back to Max. There was no doubt the connection there. It was something that made her cringe when she considered the idea of never seeing him again.

"How can I possibly answer that? It's a question someone asks after two people have been in a relationship for a while. We just met. I don't even know if we're going down that path. I mean..." Her face crinkled from doubt. "I don't know how you guys do things in your world, but the idea of never seeing him again freaks me out, if that is any answer for you. I suppose if someone were to come in here right now and try to hurt him I would stop them one way or another. I know that is semi-filled with doubt, but as I said, we're still getting to know each other. I know his type," she glanced at Paul, "ever free. Far be it from me to make him feel tied. I don't even know how he feels about me." The laugh that came from that last sentence was shaky and unsure, and she looked at him, considering she had been talking as if he weren't in the room.

"I don't know how you expect complete trust when you guys tricked us into doing something. Something I might have been open for in the future, but not now. How would you have known it wouldn't work on me? There are better ways to earn my loyalty. I deserve respect."

Paul was suddenly more alert as he gently elbowed Jenn and asked her to chill out.

"And you must earn that respect," Max replied without raising his voice. "Your choice to come back after what happened the first time gave us an opportunity to see if you were worth keeping. Despite what you went through the first time, you still came back. We must know you are resilient enough to remain with us. It isn't often we allow others into our private world, because they're habitually too weak willed. Their loyalties waver and therefore they're a liability to us. Your powers are a wonder, Jenn, and I had a feeling nothing dire would happen to you if you were to consume vampire blood. What happened to you was a test that you passed with flying colors. It was your initiation."

"You chill out!" Jenn shot right back at Paul, even though she presented him with an awkward, slight smile as she elbowed him in return. "This is serious," she scoffed. "It's my life." She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Max.

"I'm not sure how I feel about that right now honestly. I mean... I guess I'm honored I passed, I need time to think. But what about Marie? Did she pass? They tell me she's in good hands with Dwayne right now, but not seeing her has me worried. She was real sick the last time I saw her, before I passed out."

"Yes. Naturally she would be ill, as werewolves don't normally drink vampire blood," Max pointed out. "Had Marie been completely sober, she wouldn't have gone near it. Wolves have an impeccable sense of smell much greater than ours, thus they have that advantage over us. Seeing as how she went through with it anyway, she too passed her initiation. Please believe me when I say that Dwayne will take care of her. He comes from a traditional family oriented background, so he knows how to nurture someone he cares for."

"Not like anybody would know it with the way he normally acts with us," Paul teased as he continued sitting there bored out of his mind. His favoritism to his own family made him unable to see how Jenn could be upset. He didn't believe she had anything to be upset about, but he would continue to leave it to Max to explain things more diplomatically.

The elder's words did help to calm Jenn's nerves as he had a way with them, and she realized she was more concerned for Marie than herself. Her body had rejected the blood, and she was still alive, but Marie was a different story. If it hadn't been for Jenn dragging her back to the cave, she wouldn't have gotten sick. Yet at the same time, she knew she had feelings for Dwayne, no matter how much she denied it.

"So. What happens now? What kind of danger is coming this way?"

Max shook his head and said, "It is nothing forthcoming, but it's always best to be prepared just in case it does become dire. However, I do have to ask this question. Are you absolutely sure you want to stay? Just like before, you are being given a choice in the matter… and as for you, Paul, what do you think?"

Paul almost jumped in his seat when Max suddenly addressed him for the first time since the conversation started. It was like being called out by the teacher in front of the whole class.

"You were adamant about wanting to keep her," Max reminded him. "Do you think she should stay or should she leave and not have to deal with us anymore?"

Paul turned to Jenn, taking note of how gorgeous she looked. Back at the cave when she unleashed her powers on David, she was sublime. She was a constant reminder of how no other girl could keep hold of his interest like she could; not just with her physical appearance, but her spitfire personality.

"You already know I don't want you to go," Paul said, speaking to Jenn even though it was Max who asked the question. "You've made it this far, babe, and that says a lot."

With everything that had unfolded, Jenn had to remind herself in that moment that she was still on earth and in the real world, as Paul spoke to her. Unbeknownst to most human beings, the world was full of life and not just the ordinary kind that everyone was accustomed to. Even though the path had been rocky, she was one of the select few who, for whatever reason had been chosen to encounter the supernatural and work with it. It could have been a lot worse, and like any family, she understood their need to protect the legacy, but could she deal with the fact that they brought death to others to maintain it?

The answer to that could only come in time, and Jenn hoped that by staying with them, she would find her place and purpose.

"I want to stay." She took a short breath, but let it out slow. Her attention was still on Max, though she worked herself further against Paul. "No more tricks, no more lies. Marie and I are big girls. We can handle whatever it is. I'll be nothing but honest with all of you, if you can be honest with me."

Max nodded. "I'll get in touch with David. I may be in charge, but David is the oldest of the boys and knows what's best. You made it this far with him, so I can see no issues with being straightforward with you and Marie from here on out. Is there anything else we need to discuss?"

Paul shrugged. "I got nothing. Jenn?"

"No. Not now." She cleared her throat and got out of her seat, making sure to stand tall. "Thank you, Max."

She extended her hand towards him, even though something deep down still didn't feel right. "I appreciate you taking the time to explain things. I feel like I need to get out of here and get some fresh air now."

Max stood and shook her hand. He was pleased with how the conversation went. He only wanted everything to go accordingly and without a hitch.

"Have a good night," he said as he walked over and opened the front door for her.

Paul jumped to his feet and stretched his arms above his head. He was getting cramped sitting on the couch for what seemed like an eternity.

"Alright, Jenn, where do you wanna go?" he asked as he took her by the upper arm and walked with her out of the house.


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's note:** Borderline hint of smut in this chapter but nothing super graphic.

Thank you to galwidanatitud, Edicts Galore, and jgood27 for their reviews!

* * *

"When I drank the blood," Jenn began as they walked, "I saw a few of your memories."

Quick travel had landed the two far from Max's house, down on a beach path that led up to the pier. Considering Jenn wanted to break the strange feeling that had come between her and Paul from earlier outbursts, the open atmosphere helped to break the tension. She hoped he'd understand a little. Or maybe as a party animal, intent on living forever, he didn't, which meant talking about it was the only solution in terms of getting through to him. "Some from when you first took the plunge into vampirism." The term sounded dreadfully formal, and she almost regretted saying it, but continued anyway. "Can you tell me about them?"

The crickets in the grass along the seashore were loud as the two walked side by side. Paul had his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets as he bounced Jenn's question around in his head, noting the inquisitive look and smile she gave him.

It was only natural for someone like her to wonder about his past, and the beast he was now, the one she couldn't pull away from.

"Can't tell you much," he confessed as the bottoms of his boots scraped against the sand raggedly strewn across the path, "and that's only because I can't remember a whole lot. When you go headlong into being a vampire, the more blood you drink, the more your human memories just kinda fade away. Whatever memories you got from my blood was probably stuff even I forgot."

Paul chuckled as he tilted his head up and stared at the sky above, as if it could help him recall that first step into darkness.

"All I can tell you right now is that I wasn't exactly upset about leaving my human life behind. I was going to do anything I could to get away from it, and David made me an offer I couldn't refuse. I didn't even question him. I took that bottle before he even tried to pass it off as wine and I just chugged it! The look on Dwayne and Marko's faces were priceless!"

"I bet." She took a moment to picture it, taking in the night's peaceful affairs happening all around them. The rhythmic insects, the beat of the waves, and the silence of the stars above, they covered the chaos, making it seem as if everything was tranquil. Such a brilliant disguise in the scheme of things. "My life hasn't been perfect, but I'd still like the right to choose."

She shot a playful smile at him and rubbed up against him, unable to get over how sturdy he felt. It was like brushing against brick but at the same time it wasn't. "That sounds weak doesn't it… but I've seen the way you guys all react to David, like you'd do anything he asked, wouldn't you?"

It wasn't necessarily a question, even though it was stated as such. "I can respect that. Him, on the other hand, that'll take some time." She laughed just as her feet hit the pavement and she regretted the fact that they were leaving the sand.

"David's got his reasons for saying and doing what he does," Paul replied, naturally wanting to defend his brother, slash leader, even if Jenn's statement had value. "He's like, mega stubborn when he wants to be, but it's that quality that's gotten our group so far. He's been in charge for a long, long time. He knows what he has to do for us. If things work out, that'll include doing what he has to do to make sure you're safe, too."

He lifted his feet off the ground, but hadn't jumped, nor did gravity work to bring his body down in the process. Instead, he was literally floating alongside Jenn wearing a broad smile on his face. Nobody was around to see this supernatural trick, so why not have some fun?

"That sounds like a tough order," she responded, realizing he had gotten taller suddenly, and looked down to see him hovering, looking rather proud of the fact. His smile was undeniable. It made her want to jump on top of him and hold on forever. The subject of David's leadership, whether it was important or not, quickly fled her mind as another ideal stepped in.

"You look so smug in that ability," she teased, stopping on the pavement to stand in front of him. "Would you want to take me for a ride in the air?"

Paul halted in his mid-air antics and held out a hand to her. One of the first tricks he'd ever mastered was floating, so it came as no surprise when his pride came to the center of attention.

"Climb aboard and I'll take you wherever you wanna go," he offered proudly. "What destination you got in mind?"

As much as she wanted her time with him to count, she needed to see Marie and make sure she was all right before going any further. "Actually I do have a request," she admitted, looking unsure as she took his hand and stepped up. "You guys value your group, I value Marie, and I'd like to go wherever she is. We don't have to interrupt. I just need to check on her for myself. Is that okay? After that..." She shrugged and gave him a promising smile. "You can fly me through the tree tops if you want. Put this behind us and have some more fun. What do you say?"

Paul couldn't say no to more sex. It was a heavy addiction that had grown fast between the two and nothing was going to get in the way of that.

"Alright, then, we're off to see Red Riding Hood and then we'll have some _real_ fun," he declared as he brought her to his waist. With her legs over his hips, he immediately took to the skies. He flew straight up and didn't stop until he knew he was high enough where no one could easily spot him from down below. Making sure that Jenn was secure in his arms, he took a moment to figure out where Dwayne was. The blood connection gave the Lost Boys a way to find one another if they were ever separated, much like a homing beacon.

"Not too far from here," he announced, "so hang on tight 'cause away we go!"

Jenn had never considered height an issue, but being that high in the air with nothing but another body to hold onto was a little intimidating. She had her arms around his neck, and her legs locked around his waist like a pro wrestler while trying not to look down. Despite that, the feeling was exhilarating and very freeing. Not having her feet tied to the earth made her feel almost invincible, like her power of regeneration, even though she wasn't sure what exactly could kill her. Plus, she had the bonus of being against him. Every movement was languid, yet his muscles jerked making her swoon almost more than the facial expressions he made as he thought.

Despite the bumps in the road, she was falling for him, but there was still one thing she wanted and hoped for between them.

"Thank you," she said, pushing her face into the crook of his neck. Closing her eyes almost gave her a dizzy sensation, but the wind and the open space made her feel at ease. "You're lucky you get to fly."

"Can't lie, it IS wicked cool," Paul agreed, before taking off. The sound of bats screeching and flapping their wings trailed behind him. Flying always gave him a rush like none other. Like his bike, flying allowed a sense of freedom. There was nothing holding him back.

He didn't fly as fast as he normally would because unlike Jenn's first time riding his bike, the intimidation factor was more evident. She wasn't used to this kind of transportation, but who knew what the future held for her? There could be more flying if everything went accordingly.

While it appeared as if he was taking them back to Hudson's Bluff, they were making their way to a set of woods nestled between the boardwalk's beach and the cliffs. It was a frequent riding trail for the boys. It was also surprisingly dense, which made riding and hunting there all the more entertaining.

"Most people check the mountains for anything major," Paul said to Jenn as he hovered over the treetops of the condensed forest below. "But this set of woods ain't too shabby. Dwayne must've decided your buddy might find some action here."

She wanted to look down really bad, but her breath was getting caught every time she attempted, and that funny feeling was turning her stomach as if she were on a roller coaster which caused her to clutch onto him tighter.

"Are we going to land or just spy from the air?" she asked, wishing she could cover her face with one hand only to peak through her fingers, as if that would stop her from falling.

Paul, on the other hand, moved with expertise and she doubted he would let her fall. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered why she was even afraid, because if she did end up plunging downwards, her body would repair itself after the impact. Still, it didn't sound appealing.

With her cheek pressed against his shoulder, she turned her sights towards the horizon and took a deep breath before opening her eyes. The view was spectacular. It wasn't the same as being in an airplane. She was weightless in the arms of a powerful predator looking at scenery from a very different perspective. An amazed, yet somewhat stunted laugh escaped her.

The trees were dark silhouettes outlined in deep blue, yet the paths beneath them were lit up by the moon and she could see an old cemetery not far off. If her keen eyes weren't mistaken, she thought she saw movement against what looked like an old mausoleum.

"If you want a closer look, be my guest," Paul replied. His words were teasing, as if he was going to drop her. Instead he descended towards the earth. They weren't exactly free falling, but he moved at such a quick pace their hair flew up above their heads.

As soon as his heels touched the soft earth, Paul carefully pried Jenn off and set her on her feet. Seconds after, he detected Dwayne's precise whereabouts and it brought a rather amused smile to his face.

"Go ahead," Paul offered, directing her to the old cemetery a few yards away. He was careful to hide his thoughts from her only because he wanted her to see for herself how things were going.

She braced herself for a second with legs wide and arms outstretched after the fast descent. It had taken everything she had in her not to scream. When the fact that solid ground was beneath her took hold, she moved forward, slinking as if not to disturb the surrounding area or her friend and the bigger vampire, Dwayne.

At first, strange noises worried her, like maybe something was wrong, but the closer she got, the more the image of her friend and the beast came into view. The reaction was a gulp and wide eyes as she covered her mouth to keep from making a sound.

Marie was one hundred percent okay, pressed against the wall of the building going at it in the sexual way with her new companion.

Jenn immediately turned around, her shoulders high and walked in the other direction. _"Let's go!"_ she mouthed while jerking her head at Paul, who was probably laughing at her.

Paul had a fist pressed to his lips so that he wouldn't bust out laughing. The look on Jenn's face—how he wished he had a camera to take a picture!

"What's wrong?" he asked once he dropped his hand from his face, knowing exactly what was going on. He couldn't resist playing around with her. At the same time, however, he knew they needed to leave. If there was one thing he knew about Dwayne and sex, it was that he was NOT to be disturbed. Reaching out, he took Jenn by the hand, pulled her up against him, and was quick to take to the skies.

As they made their way back to the more populated area of Santa Carla, Paul couldn't resist teasing Jenn some more.

"Told ya Dwayne would take care of her."

"Don't say it!" she proclaimed, forgetting about any fear she had of flying with him from before. "I mean, I wanted them to get close but, I didn't want to actually see it! It's what I get, I suppose, for telling her about our night and how it was the best I've ever had..."

She rambled for a few long minutes in the air before she finally realized she was probably going a little too loose and buried her face against his shoulder.

"Lesson learned!" Paul laughed as the air current helped carry him to a small cluster of buildings just shy of downtown. Just before slipping between the rooftops, Paul noticed bright lights a couple of blocks away. Vibrant banners and people dressed in colorful outfits crowded the streets. Lively music played in the distance as Paul's boots touched down upon the streets. He and Jenn were in the alleyway, bathed mostly in shadow due to the poor lighting.

"Salsa Night," Paul confirmed, chuckling in amusement. He gave Jenn's ass a firm squeeze as he continued to hold her close. "You too comfortable to get away from me or what?"

"Maybe this is how I salsa," she stated, her new position more than comfortable as she faced him with her palms flat on his chest. It seemed as if she were about to slip her arms around his neck, but she didn't. Instead she stared into his eyes. She felt her cheeks flush from the way he grabbed her ass and her body gave way.

She touched the edge of his jaw, the slight bit of scruff rough against the tips of her fingers. "Your eyes are so... blue," she murmured, drawing him near to her lips. In all reality she should have been angry still at the fact that his friends had tried to turn her or at least make Marie sick, but she wasn't. Paul stripped her of rational thoughts, and even knowing how dangerous that was, she didn't care. The reason for their sudden chemistry had yet to be explained, but maybe it didn't need to be. Maybe they had been lovers in another life, who knew. He just happened to be a blood thirsty vampire in this one, and she, an unusual mortal. Regardless, she hungered for him as if she were the predator.

Nipping at his bottom lip, she mumbled nonsense. "They're blue, really blue."

"You're not leaving us," Paul muttered as he yanked his lip away from hers, only to twist their bodies around so that her back was pressed against the building. He kissed her with urgency as his hands groped at her shorts. With her help, he was able to slide them down her legs. Then without haste, he unbuckled his belt. He was no longer able to keep in check, his gestures rougher than usual, but he knew she could handle it. He remembered the way he scratched her up the other night during sex, only for her body to heal itself just fine not even minutes later.

She shook her head no in a rather direct manner, her facial expression almost numb until she hit the wall and let out a moan. After that the only sounds were wet lips colliding as their tongues warred, and the sound of his chains and the o-rings jingled on his belt as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

His claws hit the skin over her hips and she felt her panties disappear. Her aggression rose, and she climbed him, kneading his ass with her heels, urging him inside her until he found the right position and slipped deep.

"Uuh, gawd, fuck yes," she cooed against his mouth as the motion began.

* * *

"Come on, Bobbie, our guys are waiting for us!"

Bobbie Nicky scowled and pushed her anxious friend's hands away from her. She wasn't in the mood to be pulled in all sorts of directions. She only agreed to double date on Salsa Night because rumor had it there was a certain up-and-coming Hollywood music director in town. She wanted to look her absolute best in case he was scouting for talent. She stunned everyone around her wearing a red sequined dress with tassel fringes and short heels, with her lovely locks pulled back into a ponytail. After all, she didn't want her perfect face to be obstructed.

She decided she needed some fresh air and told her friend she would be back in a few. There was still some time before the festivities officially kicked off, but Bobbie Nicky couldn't help but feel crowded with so many people teeming around her. Moving about would help her be on the lookout for Paul. Not that she believed this would be his kind of thing, (anybody with eyes could see that) but if he or his buddies were around, and they saw how devastatingly killer she looked tonight, there was no way they could resist her.

Ever since Paul had turned her down on that fateful night, she couldn't stop thinking about him. There had never been a man so fully imprinted into her mind like Paul was. Not even the men she'd slept with since she last saw him could help her move on. It wasn't like she was some hopeless teenager. She was in her twenties, in the prime of her life. She was grabbing opportunities left and right, leaving nothing in her wake! All the relentless teasing and tormenting she unleashed should have made Paul go down on his hands and knees, begging to be with her! Instead, she was constantly thinking about him like a woman possessed.

A lustful gasp tore Bobbie Nicky from her thoughts. She found herself standing beside a dark alley between two buildings. Behind her, the salsa enthusiasts were nothing more than faint murmurs with the music quietly drumming in the air. It was much darker in this part of town compared to what she left behind. Shadows were plentiful and empty cars lined the streets, their owners more than likely attending the dance. The only real light that was offered was a street light above her that occasionally flickered like a neon sign outside of a seedy bar.

She turned to the source of the noise. It was coming from the alley, and that was where she saw two outlined figures moving about. From the way they were grinding against one another, it didn't take a rocket scientist to understand what they were doing. She turned away and was prepared to leave when she heard Paul's name being uttered by a female's voice.

Bobbie Nicky didn't move from her spot, but instead she narrowed her eyes to try and see if she could make out the shadows more clearly, as if somehow, she could cut through the obscurity. The street light stopped flickering for once and it offered her enough visibility to see who was in the alley.

It was indeed Paul and that little blonde witch from the boardwalk. She recognized the dagger earring he wore as it swayed back and forth along with his rhythmic movements. The girl was clinging to him as if her life depended on it. Bobbie Nicky couldn't see her entire face, but no doubt it was twisted with ecstasy.

Her heart quickened as a furious jealousy brewed within. She clenched her fists into tight balls at her waist. What the hell did this woman have that she didn't?! She wasn't even FROM Santa Carla! Technically, neither was Bobbie Nicky, but the latter liked to believe that she was a frequent enough visitor to make her more of a local than the blonde getting screwed. Guys like Paul were not supposed to get attached so damn quickly to shiny new objects. He wanted to use them once before tossing them away and move on to someone else. Bobbie Nicky believed that because she was the same way when it came to the men she toyed with. She and Paul were familiar enough with each other to make something between them actually happen.

She brought a hand up as if ready to march over to Paul and viciously slap the girl on the side of her head. Her skin was flushed, red with anger, but instead of acting upon her envious ire, she spun around on her heels and proceeded to march back to the masses. As much as she wanted to claim Paul for herself, she ultimately knew she couldn't do this on her own. She needed help, and she knew where to get it.

 _I will make her regret coming to Santa Carla,_ Bobbie Nicky declared with venom.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's note:** Much thanks to J. Berry Smith, Chantal, Edicts Galore, and galwidanatitud for their reviews! This chapter has been edited; to read the full chapter with smut scenes, feel free to visit our AO3 account :)

* * *

Dwayne was concerned. In all his years he'd never seen the effects his blood had on a werewolf. If he had known, he might have tried it sooner, considering Marie had become violently ill after ingesting it. It angered him that David acted as carelessly as he had on a whim just to prove the girls' worth. Then again, he had waited until Dwayne was beaten to a bloody pulp before offering him the blood.

Marie was taken with haste through the woods, tucked under one arm as he held her steady, watching, trying to deduce how she felt every step of the way. If they were lucky, at least a couple of souls would be near the graveyard trying to rouse the dead and find out which serial killer in town had killed them.

"How you holding up?" he asked, stopping near a broken tomb stone. The writing was cracked down the middle and part of the top was crumbling. He set her against it carefully and sniffed the air, his ears on the alert. The sound of loose leaves and skin brushing against the branches was the first thing he caught. "Help is on the way. Can you change?" Naturally he meant transforming from a human to a wolf.

The cold touch of the tomb stone was welcoming on the werewolf's skin. Her face was flushed as if a fever was on the rise. There was no pain in her head, but her stomach was still queasy after the ingestion of vampire blood. Undead blood wouldn't kill her, but it left her body in horrid turmoil after the fact, like a virus that refused to die.

"I don't know," Marie answered in response to the shifting question. She pushed her sticky, sweat soaked hair away from her clammy forehead. Changing into her second form was usually a breeze, but it did take concentration. Oddly enough, it could also happen as an involuntary reaction. There were a couple of times in her life she saw dead werewolves, and they were always in their wolf forms. The true nature of the beast would always reveal itself in the very end.

In the distance, she heard the same footsteps Dwayne had, marching along the earth. They were too heavy for a deer or fox. A couple of sniffs from the well scented air told her they were human—and drunk. However, the thought of drinking made her want to vomit once more.

Dwayne felt her impulse and steadied her, helping to pull back some of her hair. He brushed it back watching the tiny beads of sweat near her brow roll across her skin. They were nearly face to face.

"They're coming," he whispered as if it wasn't obvious. "It's the only way to get you back. Marie. You gotta try. I'll help you."

He didn't want to leave her side, but tapping into her blood lust was necessary, which meant tearing into one of their fragile bodies first. The smell would linger in the air, like barbecued meat on a Sunday afternoon, taunting her thirsty taste buds.

Very carefully, he adjusted her into a better sitting position before pushing away, and dashed into the shadows. The wandering blood bags were running their fingers over the graves, ruining cobwebs on purpose, trying and impress one another by stating how gross it was. Surely that meant nasty things were abound. Little did they know how right they were. There was no time for antics or games, he rushed from the darkness and roared.

Without touching the humans, he took the stance of a rabid bear, fangs bared, and lunged forward. Naturally it scared the unsuspecting humans. They screamed and ran in Marie's direction. The smell of urine and a wet trail was evident as Dwayne gave chase, throwing an arm around one of their necks before ripping through the middle of their spine with his claws.

Fresh blood gushed over his fingers, but the prize remained at the thin flesh of his victim's throat. He tore into it and partook, taking a long, heavy drink from the artery.

The smell of blood permeated the air like a strike of lightning. It was fast and without question, and instantly triggered the lust of the beast within Marie. Her eyes flashed yellow and as soon as the other human ran past her, renewed energy filled her, and she gave chase. Her human flesh was ripped away as thick fur and muscles took over. On all four paws she pursued her target. She had never eaten human before, but when it came to survival, there was no argument about what kind of meat she needed to consume, so long as it was from a relatively healthy living creature.

The drunk stumbled over an unmarked grave and fell face first to the ground. Before he could even turn around doom sealed his fate. The werewolf pounced, letting loose vicious and rabid aggression by shredding his clothes and flesh. Enlarged canines tore through limbs, snapped bones, and crushed his windpipe with four hundred pounds of bite force.

Marie's humanity was gone, replaced by the wolf's need to survive. There was no regret or lingering thoughts about who this person was, who they would leave behind, or why they had ended up there on this fateful night. Her needs were first and foremost. It was simply the way of life.

Instinct, hunger, and most of all the will of a lion. Dwayne saw all three leap out of Marie faster than a cougar on its prey. It didn't take much coaxing and he watched in fascination, his own face covered in blood, as the human became a pile of fresh hamburger in her hands.

He smiled and went down on his knees to finish his own meal, licking up the gash he had created along his victim's artery before fastening his lips against the hole to suck on it like a straw.

There was nothing like warm arterial blood. It made the sour night turn sweet and he hoped that after a good feed like the one they were having, Marie would find it in her heart to forgive them. She was still a youth when it came to her power as a wolf, at least it seemed that way, and Dwayne was pretty damn good at reading most creatures. Granted, he hadn't trusted her right off the bat, despite what she said, but the more he got to know her, the more her body spoke to him. It wasn't just sexual, it was an honest vibe and he admired her determination.

He watched her feast, partially hidden behind the body as it turned into a withered corpse, his dark eyes calculating her actions. Even in wolf form, he could see the young girl she was with a never-ending spirit.

 ** _"OH MY GOD!"_**

The words echoed and reverberated off the old tombs in the cemetery, yanking Dwayne away from his thoughts as Marie, once more in her human form, sat on her knees and hunched over the mangled corpse. The second phase, shock, had settled in and she couldn't believe what she had done.

The life of her first human meal was forever extinguished.

There had been times in the past that nearly drove her to the point of wanting to hurt someone so badly that it made her fangs ache. In the end, however, she always managed to calm down, get rid of those thoughts, and simply move forward without committing murder. It was a firm belief that her first proper kill, vampire's aside, would be another werewolf, but an unforeseen meeting had changed everything. The night had gone from drinking vampire's blood, to becoming ill, to letting Dwayne guide her.

 _You really don't feel guilty, do you?_ her inner wolf inquired with a slight hint of amusement in its tone.

Marie gradually sat back on her heels and brought a hand to her mouth. A piece of flesh hung from her bottom lip, to which she flicked away with an index finger. The more she studied the dead body, with the cracked bones and rich blood now soaking the earth, the more she didn't see it as a human who probably had family and friends waiting for him back home. Instead, she saw it as a necessity. Whatever remained would be cleaned up by nature's scavengers.

"I don't," she said out loud, her voice firm and steady. No longer was she queasy; she was more focused and determined. She was rejuvenated, as if the full moon granted her its all mighty strength.

Dwayne heard Marie's words, both from amazement and the other most likely from talking to herself. Lifting his haggard corpse, he carried it over and dropped it in front of her, right over the second mangled body. There was nothing pretty about it, proving only that the two were no more. If any doubt remained in her mind, he hoped that would help dissipate it.

For a second he stared down at her, waiting for a reaction, and when her eyes met his, he kneeled. His face softened and carefully, he reached in to touch her bottom lip.

"You got a little leftover," he said in a whisper. Closer and closer, he closed the gap between them. It was a daring move. She could've reached out and slapped him or sliced his cheek open with her claws or her large jaws, but it was a risk he was willing to take to touch her lips, and lick the flesh away. "Again, I'm sorry, but you're strong, Marie. You've got that spark."

Her lips tingled, and her cheeks flushed from his encouraging words. His face was still close to hers, and with the buzz from the kill still swimming in her system, she reached over to kiss him back. She craved his touch and wanted more.

Caressing the side of his face with her fingertips, she gave him another tender kiss and gazed deep into his dark eyes.

"Show me how sorry you are," she demanded with quiet authority.

Dwayne wasn't expecting that reaction from her and for a second he paused. His eyes danced as he studied every little detail of her face, the way her chin dimpled, and her lips curved. There was a new light behind her dark eyes, an eroticism that pulled him in. It caused his brief uncertainty to turn ravenous. He growled and seized her by the arms pulling her up away from the dead. In a whirlwind of flight, he moved her past the tombs and backed her against the faded, old mausoleum, unkind in his actions as he tore at her clothing and then at his own.

In the back of his mind he considered the idea of a werewolf in that situation without the ability to keep their clothing on after the transformation and a sly grin crept across his face before he grabbed her chin and let his tongue do the talking as their lips continued what they'd started moments before. The salty sweetness of blood from their kills still lingered heavily in their mouths. It brought them together, closer, as his hands traveled her body; one softer and warmer than any other he had dared bed.

The smell of her arousal was as prominent as the metallic perfume she now wore, and he shifted, raising one of her legs against the outer edge of his thigh, eager to have her. He centered, finding the soft, wet warmth there between her legs and with a heavy thrust entered her heat.

She allowed him to take complete control for once, willing to let him do whatever he wanted to her. Any hesitation or fear for this vampire was gone, replaced with uncontrolled desire and passion. Was letting her wild side loose the answer she'd been seeking to obtain any sense of satisfaction? She still had no idea if they were friends at that point and she didn't care. The moment he slid between her thighs with his member, she moaned in satisfaction, and all she cared about right then and there was enjoying herself.

Her arms wrapped tight around his neck and her lips sought his out, frantically kissing him, as their bodies moved together in a primal dance.

* * *

When their intimate romp came to a lazy close, he kissed her several more times and slowly backed off, giving each of them enough room to throw their clothes on. His jacket, however, was wrapped around her shoulders and he remained near her as she came back to her senses.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, genuinely interested. They had both played hard and even though he knew her power as a werewolf, he still considered her thoughts. Pleasure was important, he was learning, for all species. But just as he was about to ask if she wanted to take it easy with him somewhere plush, a mental message from David came through.

"Shit," he grumbled, looking down at the ground. "Marie, I hate to do this to you, but we gotta pay someone else a visit."

The werewolf frowned as she tugged on the lapels of Dwayne's jacket, making sure it was secure over her shoulders. It was huge on her, but she quickly became fond of it and its leathery smell. Yet the way Dwayne acted when he made his announcement slowly pushed that relief away from her.

"Who's this 'someone' else?" she asked warily as she pushed the bangs from her forehead, tucking them behind her ear. "It better not be another vampire. After what happened earlier tonight, I've just enough of vampires—present company excluded."

"Just someone," Dwayne dragged. He couldn't and didn't want to go into details about the vampire enchantress. "I'm not fond of her either, but vampires are my world." He shrugged. "I want you with me."

Marie's hand dropped from her face and she scowled. So even with the sex, she had to deal with his vague nonsense. It was getting on her nerves, though she wished to believe him when he said he wanted her with him, but that would all depend on how this so-called visit went.

"Don't misunderstand," she said as she scrutinized the area nearby where she thought she heard someone while they were doing the deed. "I'm not going because your boss or whoever the hell wants it. I'm doing it as a favor for you."


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's note:** We're very sorry for the delay in uploading the latest chapter of this story. As you may or may not have been aware, certain things happened that caused the editing process to come to a grinding halt despite that the chapters were written months prior. A much deserving thank you goes out to every single one of you who've left us reviews and who have private messaged us about the story or our well-beings in general.

This chapter is dedicated to the late, great, **Edicts Galore** , who was one of our earliest and biggest supporters of this story. She was such a kind and thoughtful person to talk to behind the scenes and she will be missed.

* * *

When Max summoned the boys to his office rather than his home, David took note of the disappointment showing on his face when only two of them arrived, seeing he felt that the office was a more convenient place to meet. However, the head vampire quickly forgave the situation once learning that Dwayne and Paul were out with their special girls.

David wasn't quite as upbeat about it, but around Max, being unnerved by what he had to say wasn't unusual behavior.

Shortly after leaving the video store, he called for Dwayne and Paul and asked them to meet him at the Widow Johnson's lair, pronto.

When they arrived, they lined their bikes in a row, front tire to back tire, as if creating a wall to keep other intruders out while business was attended to. Jenn and Marie stood to the front of the motorcycles, and the boys were on either side of them while David moved to greet the Widow.

Instead of giving her normal hello, the elder vampire mistress moved straight past him, fixing her gaze on the unknown girls. "New pets?" the Widow asked with amused flare showing in her eyes as she examined them with intrigued interest.

She was a tall, striking woman with silky dark hair, gray skin, and violet eyes, and wore a regal cloak which covered much of her form, unlike the younger females who surrounded her, content to wear more revealing outfits.

She posed, waiting for the answer, a perfect silhouette to the grand home behind them, an impressive two-story building set up on the hill at the edge of town, offering a grand view of Santa Carla.

It was difficult for Marie to hide her loathing in that moment. Her arms were crossed defensively over her chest and she stood rigid. More than anything she wanted to leave. There was more to this woman than met the eye. She completely stank of ancient death, suggesting she was far older than she appeared to be. Being called a "pet" didn't help matters, either.

"Nah, no pets here!" Paul corrected the Widow before affectionately patting one of Jenn's shoulders. With a confident smile, he added, "If all goes right, we're hoping they'll be with us for like, a long, long time!"

"What he said," Dwayne responded quietly, keeping his voice reserved so as not to provoke anger from the ancient. He glanced at David briefly, but remained steadfast at Marie's side.

Jenn took hold of Marie's other arm and held it close. She wasn't afraid of this new vampire, but she didn't care for her either. Though it helped that Paul was jovial about the situation, but considering Marie was anything but human, she didn't take kindly to the term, "pet." Regardless, she kept quiet and latched onto one of Paul's belt loops with her free hand.

It was then that one of the more flamboyant members of the Widow's coven bounced forward to Paul, letting her flirtatious nature shine through as she tapped her fingers along his chest.

"We missed you!" she giggled. "But then I bet a lot of girls in Santa Carla do… the ones that aren't dead, anyway." She shrugged and winked at Jenn before continuing to play with Paul by running her fingers along his jaw.

Marie grimaced and covered her nose and mouth with both hands. She made no bones about letting these blood suckers know how dreadful they smelled. This floozy stank of blood, cheap wine, and Christian Dior perfume.

With a playful gleam in his eyes, Paul smiled back at the Widow's daughter. "What can I say? I'm one of a kind! I always leave everyone wanting more."

"Does this mean you'll be able to play with us one of these nights?"

Paul laughed and shook his head. "You kidding me? I wanna keep all of my parts in working order, y'know?"

The female drew her finger back and licked her lower lip seductively. "We do like to play rough when it comes to our… toys… but we'd make an exception for you and your brothers."

"I dunno, I mean I'm already booked solid with this one here," Paul replied as he gently shook Jenn's shoulder before pulling her up against him, which in turn pulled a very uncomfortable Marie along with her.

Dwayne felt Marie shift uncomfortably and had to grin when he realized it was Paul doing the pulling. His little brother remained enthusiastic but refused to let another girl in the middle of him and his new prize. That had never happened before and if someone had asked a few weeks prior, Dwayne would have told them it was impossible.

However, they weren't there to show off mates. This was a matter of business and the sooner they could get it handled, the sooner they could leave. The stench of too much perfume was disturbing his night.

"He's got too many stalkers. One, in fact, you couldn't miss," Dwayne stated. Everyone knew who Bobby Nickie was because she flaunted her body like a hooker.

Jenn had dutifully wrapped her arms around Paul, letting go of Marie so as not to pull her any further, but she remained quiet, taking it all in. Paul seemed to be the playboy, ever wanted by any and all, and who could blame them for wanting him? He was sexy, beyond attractive, and had the personality to boot. Oh yeah, and he was a vampire. That part was hard to remember at times, even for her. Still, she considered herself damn lucky to have hooked up with him, and the best part was that he was showing her that it was in fact all about her.

Marie stalked away from everyone as soon as she was free but didn't go very far. She only took off a few feet and remained closest to Dwayne with her back facing him. She could still hear what was going on but her patience with being around so many vampires was wearing extremely thin. Any level-headed vampire would say the same thing if they were forced to be surrounded by werewolves. All she wanted to do was return to the motel and bury herself under her bed covers so she wouldn't have to deal with any of this.

"Ah," the younger female vampire said in response to what Dwayne said about a stalker. She sneered and rolled her eyes. "HER. Yes, we know about her, don't we, Mother?"

The Widow Johnson smirked ever so slightly in response.

Paul shrugged. "I dunno, man, Bobbie Nicky is persistent. She wouldn't even give me the time or day until she saw competition. Then she got relentless!"

"Having a little girl issue?" The Widow prodded. She nodded to one of her girls who came forward with a vile filled with a red substance and handed it to Paul. "Give her this mouth-to-mouth. I guarantee you, she won't last long after. You don't have a problem with that, do you dear?" She looked past Paul towards Jenn. "Give her what she wants and make her pay for it."

Jenn scowled and finally spoke up. "You kidding? I feel sorry for him having to kiss that piece of trash, if that's what you consider a problem. Can't you just slit her throat or something?"

The Widow's jaw dropped. "David! I like this girl! She has sass. She should be on our side." She pulled back quick to move on to a different topic and confided in Dwayne. "Seriously though, what are you going to do with a werewolf, Dwayne? Turn her into your personal hellhound? Don't be silly."

"I haven't gotten that far," Dwayne confessed, slight irritation still showing in his eyes from the Widow's disregard towards Marie. "She's more than that to me."

The queen of the coven lightened and regained some form of seriousness as she straightened her posture. "Well, you should mark them then, either way, just to be safe."

"Which brings us back to the real reason we're here, before we got sidetracked."

"Oh David, I love you, but you're so impatient," she calmly scolded.

"We're going to need to move things along, Widow," David countered, slowly removing her hand from his jaw. "If worst comes to worst, the girls will need a safe place to stay."

"That's asking a lot." The Widow's flirtatious nature was suddenly sobered, and she folded her hands, stepping back towards her coven. The somber look on her face made her appear older, but it only lasted for a few seconds and she bounced right back, snapping her fingers as she danced forward again. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the Emersons, David. Why, I have the old man wrapped around my little pinky, and he'd do anything I ask."

She held it up in front of his face to emphasize what she meant, but noted that David wasn't amused. A heavy sigh made her chest rise and fall as she fell back again. "Very well. I'll see what I can do. But I'm not holding anyone here against their will. I have better things to do than babysit."

Marie frowned but said nothing. Was the old woman serious about not holding anyone against their will? Because being surrounded by ghoulish femme fatales was not how she envisioned spending her night. She wanted out. David was crazy if he thought she was going to be safe here. Jenn, maybe, due to her sudden interest in mutilating some girl's throat so casually as if it was no big deal. What the hell was going on here? What was wrong with everyone? The longer she stayed here, the more agitated she became.

Paul casually tossed the vile up and down in his hand. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he didn't need to use any kind of parlor trick to kill anybody. He wouldn't have any problem getting Bobbie Nicky to approach him again anytime soon. Only this time, it would be the last of their encounter.

"Doing anything later tonight?" the younger female vampire from earlier asked Paul, already having another go at him even with Jenn right there.

The Lost Boy chuckled and caught the vile once more before slipping it into his pocket. "Damn, girl, you don't give up!"

"I don't hold back…" She winked before slinking back over to the Widow. She even glanced knowingly at David and Dwayne before disappearing into the darkness.

Jenn was standing with her arms folded and a glare on her face. She didn't care about the female vampire trying to come on to Paul. The surprise of having him turn her down spoke volumes. _Congrats Jenn_ , she thought, _you've won the heart of a monster, what will you do now?_

But the more important question was, what the hell was going on?

"Are we being handed off or something?" she asked. Irritation and impatience made her tap her foot. The fun had just started, except now there seemed to be a problem looming over their heads. "Are we part of this group or aren't we? What's going on?" The last question was softer than the first as her gaze shifted solely towards Paul. "I get that you're high on the market, but there's no way in hell I'm going to stay here with a bunch of whores."

"You'll be fine here!" Paul promised Jenn as he turned to her and affectionately rubbed one of her shoulders. It was obvious she wasn't thrilled over being there, especially when she wasn't aware of the bigger picture, but David promised that everything was going to work out. Paul had yet to not believe David when he gave his word on anything. "The Black Widow is one vampire nobody wants to mess with, not even Max. One of the best things she offers is protection. C'mon, you believe me, don't you?"

"What is it we need protection from?" She was digging, leaning in with one eye solid on his figure. "Marie's a werewolf and I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"Relax," David jerked his chin into a nod. "No one is staying here, not yet. We're just covering our bases, and you've both earned your places, but..."

"Manners!" The Widow broke in before she spoke to both Jenn and Marie. "Ladies! These boys are looking out for you, but you obviously have no idea what that means. You shouldn't be so ungrateful, you know. It could be the other way around." She paused, careful to roll her eyes at just the right moment. "I want updates on everything. Even if you have to send Paul over here. For all your sire knows he could be on a drug run."

There was a coughing, clearing of the throat sound.

"Excuse me, _weed_ run," the Widow corrected. "And yes, you have my word. If need be, they can come here, though I'd appreciate it if they didn't call my girls whores."

* * *

The girls were upset about being left in the dark when it came to the big picture surrounding Max, David, and the Widow Johnson, but beings they were barely part of the pack, an obligation like that was none of their business. The danger of filling them in at a time when not even the vampires knew how it would go was at an all-time high.

Dwayne understood this, and he let Marie go freely, as she needed to cool down and think things over. Jenn had followed, which left Paul in a bit of a tizzy, so being the older brother, he'd asked him to come have a smoke by the ancient lighthouse museum.

Sitting on the steps with his knees apart, Dwayne took a long drag from his cigarette and let it out slow as Paul approached. His serious frown furrowed his brow, and he let out a shallow laugh. "Of all the times we've met here to talk about our nightly screws, I've never seen you this forlorn before."

Despite Paul's closeness with Marko, the two of them shared a different relationship, one that involved playing the field, at least when Dwayne was in the mood, and often after a good fuck and feed, they'd share a smoke on the steps and talk about how sliding their dick into a mortal felt and the way the blood tasted.

He considered Paul his partner-in-crime because they shared the power of attraction. All it took was a friendly hello and the girls were climbing all over their junk. "I hope you're just lacking a good baggie of weed, or down in the depths because you couldn't nail her tonight."

Dwayne was being partially sarcastic because for both of them, the stakes were high. He cared about Marie, Paul cared about Jenn, and neither of them wanted to think about the possibility that it could all end because of one power hungry prick.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Paul complained as he took to leaning on the wall next to where Dwayne sat. "I thought it was all going okay!"

Naturally he would think on the upside and not realize how it would feel for a human and a werewolf to see a vampire's side of things.

Paul bounced the back of his heel against the structure behind him while his hands rested in his jacket pockets. "Like… things will work out just fine. What is it gonna take for them to understand?"

He thought over what the Widow said about Jenn and Marie being ungrateful. He knew they didn't mean to come off that way, and that they just didn't get the big picture.

"That's what we'd like to believe, but there is that slim chance something else could happen. Something bad. I'm not looking forward to it." Dwayne took another hit and then offered his smoke to Paul. "I don't blame them, I really don't. How would you feel if you were in their shoes given the circumstances? We didn't give them a warm welcome to begin with, and now we're not telling the whole story."

Paul chewed on his lower lip, revealing a hint of fang in the process. Having taken the cigarette, he took a few drags while he tried to think back to when he was once human, how he reacted to whatever secrets were withheld from him at the time. It hadn't even been that long ago, just a few years, but trying to look back on any of it was like trying to unscramble cable channels. He could make out certain voices and occasionally see a familiar image or two, but nothing was ever clear cut.

"You're right," he managed to say before pushing himself away from the wall where he was now standing over Dwayne's form, where he then gave the cigarette back. "It'd probably suck being kept in the dark and all. So what're we gonna do? Always telling them 'it'll be okay' isn't cutting it."

"Guess they'll just have to take our word for it for now, or maybe we can have David talk to them a little more? At least ask him what we can tell them. Who knows, maybe this Emerson family won't even show up. I just wish Max wasn't so stupid. I mean, since when did forcing anyone to turn ever really work out for the best? David hates the man. The only two of us that weren't forced into this were you and I."

Dwayne laughed. "David just got lucky that Marko accepted it and doesn't hate his guts. But at least we got that on our side. They know who and what we are and we're not forcing ourselves on them. That's gotta be a plus right? Shit, I haven't had any kind of relationship since turning. I don't know what I'm doing half the time. Years of some hot woman wrapping her pussy around my cock, telling me to fuck her harder is all I've known. After that she was just a pile of mush in the sea."

He realized he was ranting, when usually he was a quiet talker, but he also realized that he didn't want Marie to go back to wherever she came from. She was different, unique, powerful, and yet insanely naive about being a werewolf.

"Shit, she smells so good..." His mind wandered away from the other topic about how stupid Max was in his planning as pictures of Marie flooded his mind's eye. "Better than all the others."

Then he realized he was actually saying that a wolf smelled better than a human. Not when it came to blood, of course, but her scent, her womanly scent. "To bad I probably smell like road kill to her."

Paul cracked a smile at Dwayne's words. He had to admit, Marie wasn't too bad for a wolf. Obviously, he knew Jenn was more than just not bad. She was majorly awesome, and he didn't want her to leave for whatever reason. As for joining on his own free will, that was too true. From what Paul could vaguely remember, it was his need to escape his life that was going nowhere fast that somehow led him to Santa Carla. He'd grown tired of the "same shit, different day" routine. He craved something more, something different and wild. David promised he would find that and more if he joined the group, and he quickly learned that there were no lies there! No lies and no regrets. If Paul had a chance to go back in time and choose a different path, he'd give fate the big middle finger and take up David's offer again.

"We're just gonna wait for them to come back?" Paul asked, not trying to sound overly optimistic over the situation. "I think they have to come back at some point. It's not like we were going to feed them to the old bat and her daughters."

A vampire's show of good will might differ in the eyes of other species, but Paul had high hopes for the girls.

"I dunno about Marie, but I'd give your girl a few hours and she'll probably be running back." Dwayne was laughing, but tossed his cig out, way out, over the water. "Shit, were you thinking they'd be gone for days? No wonder you looked like shit. No pussy for Mr. Willy or whatever you call him these days. She seems like good company though. Not too desperate. How'd she handle that blonde twit, what's her face coming onto you? You think you're gonna try to off her somehow? I think the Widow's idea is a little," he twisted a finger around at his temple, "cookoo."

"Too soap opera-y for my taste," Paul admitted, and it was followed with a laugh of his own. "What kind of vampire would I be if I had to rely on something like poison to off a human?"

He shook his head causing his dagger earring to sway. "Nah, no way, I can't stand having anybody all possessive and psycho. She lost out when she didn't take me up on my offers in the past, and she went overkill acting as if we were ever a thing in the first place. This'll be her last year hanging around the boardwalk. She'll be getting a call elsewhere."

There was a dangerous gleam in his eyes that followed the cold tone of his last words. Then just like that, his attitude shifted back to light-hearted matters.

"She'll come back too," he assured Dwayne over his concern for Marie. "She's like, fiercely loyal to Jenn. She won't leave her no matter how she feels."

"Well that's great for Jenn, but motherfucker, I want her to come back for me!" Dwayne made a sound between a growl and a laugh and got up from his seat. "Anyway, you know how that old woman is, big on drama. Her pack follows the same road. Someone should really tell them they wear too much perfume." He nudged Paul and made a comfortable standing spot to lean against.

"How bad is it that I'm tempted to go hunt Marie right now? We were connecting on that deeper level down in the grave yard. I wanted to thank you for stepping away. I got a feeling she's really into privacy right now. I'm just glad Max hasn't had us come back with them for whatever reason. Next thing you know he'll be wanting tips from us and details about the sex. Or maybe not. Hopefully he's got that under his belt after all these years. Maybe we should take the girls out." He shook his head. The idea was grand but the last time that happened, they'd split ways.

"I need a drink. Should've brought some whiskey."

"Then I say let's get some drinks," Paul suggested as he jerked his thumb to the general direction of town. "For now, we'll just have fun, not think about the girls or Max or none of that. What do you say?"

There was no point sitting around wondering what would happen and when. Paul had to keep moving, because the thought of thinking things over like this too long frustrated him beyond reason. He needed stimulation; besides, thinking about not having Jenn in his clutches would drive him insane.


End file.
